Getting Through Gatekeepers

Successful networking by phones depends on bypassing gatekeepers (such as secretaries, PA’s, administrators, receptionists etc). Your heartfelt request for help is unlikely to gain a spontaneous ‘yes’ if conveyed by gatekeeper along the lines of ‘there’s a Mr X on line and he wants to meet you so you can help him find a job.’

The best time for phoning is in the hour from 7.00 to 8.00 am, before the receptionist or PA arrives for work, which will usually be at the start of normal office hours even if your target executive comes in an hour early. Similarly, after 5:30 pm is a reasonably good time - but you may catch your referral after he/she has had one of those days and is feeling particularly stressed and unhelpful. First thing in the morning is recommended.

If the operator says ‘please hold on a minute while I put you through to his secretary’ most effective networkers ring off because the purpose of the call and the reasons for the proposed meeting are not easily relayed. Most secretaries will come back to you with something like: ‘I’m awfully sorry but he/she is terribly busy. But could you please send your resume in and well get back to you.’  Invariably they don’t!

It is not recommended that you leave a message for your referral to call you back. When they do so, they will be curious about who you are and what you want. They could also be somewhat defensive, thinking you may want to sell something. Finally, they are ringing you: they thus have the initiative and may catch you unprepared. This is not the best environment for you to obtain their agreement to a meeting.

One way of handling the intercept is to say ‘This is Jack Cook for Gerald Smith’. This is both authoritative and suggestive of pre-existing friendship.

However, if intercepted by secretaries, use them as allies rather than seek to avoid and thereby antagonise them. For example:

Secretary: No, I’m sorry Mr. Smith is unavailable at present. I’m his secretary. Can I help?

Candidate: Certainly. I’d be grateful for your assistance. I’m trying to set up a meeting with Mr. Smith and I realise he’s a very busy man. I wonder if you could suggest a time for an appointment, or perhaps a time when I could phone back and talk to him.

Once involved with secretaries, this answer creates a dependence on them, which may be of great value if you need to ring back two or three times. It is wise to keep secretaries involved rather than cut them out and risk upsetting them. Always make a note of their names. Apart from the elementary courtesies it will help in gaining their whole-hearted cooperation if you address them personally.

It is likely that the secretary will subject you to some further screening before putting you through to the executive concerned or assisting you in establishing a meeting. We suggest you say that you are trying to get their advice about your career and wish to discuss this with the executive, as they are well known in the industry. In any event, you must state the same reason for the meeting when you speak to the executive. They will not be happy if they feel you have tricked their secretary into letting the call through.