Question

Topic: Other

How To Find It Hirinf Manager?

Posted by Anonymous on 6/19/2011 at 4:16 PM ET 25 Points
I have had a great deal of difficulty finding and reaching the CIO's/CTO's of technology firms just to get my foot in to the door. They have gate keepers, do not answer their calls, and those few I have reached, have a low view of a recruiter.
I used to be in the financial field, where I found the candidates 1st, then put a call in to the hiring manager with my candidate's skill set, and in no time recived a call back.
!.) How do I go about getting business from these people? Do I find an inventory of good candidates and then call these CIO's for the IT positions?
2.) How do I know that, say, a cruise line needs a web designer or engineer?
There ought to be a better and smarter way than just calling while getting nowhere!
Please help. I used to be a high biller and now I feel like there's no light at the end of this never-ending cold calling tunnel!

Thanks in advance
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted on 6/19/2011 at 5:55 PM Accepted
    It's time to research your market before you frustrate yourself any further.

    Why not develop a short list of high-gain questions and then see if you can get interviews with a few folks in your target audience to ask those important questions?

    Don't try to sell them on anything or convince them you can help them. Just ask your questions, listen carefully to the responses, and take detailed notes. Make it a true information interview.

    Once you've conducted 6-8 of these interviews, step back and analyze your notes. You will then know what it will take to break into the market.

    If you don't feel you can do this without biasing responses (because they'll tell you what they think you'll want to hear), it's probably worth the small investment to have a professional market researcher conduct the interviews for you.

    I've never seen this approach fail. Instead of asking us -- a bunch of marketing folks -- you need to ask the target audience. They'll have the answers. It's not likely we will.


    p.s. If you need a recommendation for a market research professional who can do this job cost-effectively, let me know. Just use the email address in my profile.
  • Posted on 6/24/2011 at 9:37 AM Accepted
    To pick up on mgoodman's excellent approach: "what it will take to break into the market." Specifically, you will have solid information on how to "1st, provide value" to that market. That is the key sales mantra of Jeffrey Gitomer, one of the leading sales trainers in the U.S. (cf. "Sales Bible" on amazon.com)

    Once you are perceived as someone who "1st, provides value," your cold calling days should be over. So much for the good news. The bad news is that this approach takes an awful lot of hard work, and the excellent results come over time -- no instant magic bullets here.

    Regards,
    JH
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Other)