Most job hunters use conventional methods for obtaining interviews. Unless you use unconventional getting the interview techniques, you will have to stand in line for a chance to meet the hiring manager. You can distinguish your CV and application from other candidates by following these unconventional getting the interview techniques.

If you indicate how you can benefit the company and that a trusted source referred you, you stand an even better chance for getting the interview. If you fail to impress the person, you may fall back on enquiring if he knows about another department in the enterprise that may have a need for an employee with your qualifications, experience and skills.

Less expressive method
If you feel direct unconventional getting the interview techniques are a bit too aggressive, you may consider a similar but more subtle approach. With this technique you still enquire about possible openings without directly asking for an interview.

You contact the recruiting manager and ask whether he be may interested in a discussion on how you can benefit his department or perhaps have knowledge of another manager at the company who has a need for an employee with your skills. If the person shows interest, you casually state that it is a coincidence. The odds are now in your favor. Instead of you being on the requesting side, you now find that you are in demand.

Now is the time to state your main skills and benefits to the employer. Your skills, experience and qualifications must match the company's particular needs. The drawback with this method is that the manager can get of the hook fairly easily. If there is no person within his company who may need your skills, ask if he perhaps knows about other companies that can benefit from your services. Don't hang up without offering to deliver or fax your CV. Once you have done that, you can call to follow up.

Take the lead
Don't give the person the opportunity to say no. Once you have stated your background and purpose in short with a clear indication of how you can benefit the company, move on to the next step of getting a set date for an interview. If you ask if you can perhaps meet for an interview, you may get a no, but if you ask when would suit you best for an interview and give the person a choice of for instance Monday or Thursday morning, the person is more likely to respond with a positive answer.

If the person still refuses, you can indicate that you know that his time is valuable, but you will only take up ten minutes and show how it will be benefit the company. Indicate that you are willing to compromise on time and a place to fit in with the person's schedule. End your request with a statement such as 'Reasonable for you?' or 'That is reasonable, do you agree?' Since nobody likes to be called unreasonable or sound unreasonable, you are likely to get the interview.

Show respect for the manager's time
Most managers are busy, but if you state that you will not even take more than fifteen minutes of the hiring manager's time, it shows that you care about his work schedule. Mention that you will explain how you will be able to increase the sales, production, or motivate his staff, within ten minutes. When an interview is granted, show that you regard his time as valuable by staying within the time frame that you promised. Focus on the specific issues and outcomes. By doing this, you prove that you keep your word, are able to get straight to the point and make a good impression in a short time span.

Should the manager still be too busy to grant an interview, you can suggest a discussion over lunch or breakfast, as a token of your appreciation for his busy schedule. He will listen to you during lunch since you are paying.

Use knowledge about the company
One of the best unconventional getting the interview techniques is to use suggestions for improvement to get a meeting. Do your research. Find a list of the company's products and services from their website, annual report and marketing materials. The annual report is the ideal source for finding information of their short and long term plans. Use the knowledge to come up with a solution to their problems or to show how you can help them reach their goals. You don't have to call the hiring manager for this. You can pass your suggestion on to one of their key employees and call to set up a meeting for the discussion of the solution or suggestion. Once you get the meeting, you can indicate your availability for employment or mention that you would love to participate in the project or process for improvement.

Areas that you can target for improvement include suggestions on how to improve the advertising, sales, increase customer satisfaction or enhance their image, product changes, and suggestions for a new product or service line etc. This approach not only demonstrates that you have initiative and that you care about the specific company, but also gets in you in a position for an informal interview.

Even though these unconventional getting the interview techniques may sound aggressive, they are sure fire methods for getting the hiring manager's positive attention.

Continue to Part II