Approaching Employers Directly

The DIRECT Approach Many people looking for work will often write to, ring, or go in and see a firm which has NOT even advertised that they are looking for anyone.

Although they might not secure a job straight away, these people may be the first ones approached by that firm when a position becomes vacant.

Besides saving the firm money, it can also save them a lot of time, because if they did advertise, they would probably have to sort through mountains of applications - and why do that when you may already have someone waiting in your filing cabinet?


You have heard of a nearby firm which employs people in the type of job you want.

  1. How would you make a direct approach to that employer?

  2. Who would you ask to speak to?

  3. What would you say to them?

  4. What might you ask them to do?

With some friends, try to role play the situation.

Would it be a good idea to spend one day a week going to see possible employers? Why? Why not?

For sure... doing this you can leave yourself open to LOTS of rejection, as employers in some areas can get hounded by all sorts of people wandering the streets looking for work :)

However, if you make a good impression, the chances are good they will file your resume for later use (and by that we mean NOT in the round filing tin).

Case in point - my son actually scored casual work (leading to full-time) some three months after visiting various businesses on the Gold Coast and handing out his resume. And, with that business, normally they are filed in the round tin :) "Something" about his visit made the employer keep the resume.

So... as they say... "you'll never, never know, if you don't give it a go!"

How to go about writing to employers.
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