"The Job Seeker's Guide"RECEPTIONISTS
Inevitably, as JOB HUNT has unfolded it has been necessary to touch on certain subjects to illustrate specific situations as and when they arise. Receptionists are no exception because they can, and often do, have an enormous effect on the job hunters daily routine.
Receptionists come in all shapes and sizes. Chosen in the main for their appearance rather than brains it is the female of the species who dominates in this position. They often fuss over their charges like mother hens in an effort to protect them from the harsh realities of people like you who are trying to see them. Often they are placed in receptionists because they have been unable to fit in to any other department.
They range from blue rinsed old crones whose faces, and I use the term loosely, are reminiscent of dried prunes, to very timid scared to death young girls who some training organisation has persuaded the company to take on for work experience. Somewhere in between are nice, sweet, pretty, glamorous, efficient, helpful and kind members of the female of the species who are a joy to meet.
So having overviewed the receptionist, and at the risk of repeating myself I will say again:
No one ever will.
You might, if you are very lucky and your guardian angel is having a good day, gain ground on the first assault but you will only do this by having the element of surprise on your side.
Once you are identified you are as good as dead. From then on all you have to do is raise your head above the parapet and you will get it shot off.
Receptionists are in the same position as secretaries; they are the interface between you and the person you are trying to influence. They hold the keys to the candy store. They only have to say to whoever it is you are trying to speak to:
A receptionist's duties vary from merely answering the 'phone and happily living on a cloud the rest of the time to booking hotel accommodation and arranging travel for single members or groups of staff, chasing debts, setting up meetings, typing up meeting minutes and so on. You need a little time to take it all in.
Why bother to take it in at all? I'll tell you why.
Many people within a company treat a receptionist as they would an old toe rag.
The receptionist has not yet been born, the woman has not yet been born who doesn't like to get a bit of her own back. If you can tap into that information highway the receptionist controls you put yourself in a very advantageous position.
They know what goes on but the nature of their job is such that they do not have much opportunity to make deep, meaningful relationships with other members of staff.
They work alone in what is often a cacophony of activity, but they are spectators, not players and consequently are always on the perimeter. Observers at a party, never a player.
Compare this to the players, the people in the company who work together, travel together and stay in hotels on business. They build strong relationships. They become team players born of mutual trust and dependency.
The product or project becomes the bonding agent.
Receptionists have access to much privileged information and they don't have a clue as to the value of it to JOB HUNTER. JOB HUNT is aware of this. I have just made you aware. What you must now do is learn to use it to your advantage.
I am talking about treating receptionists decently, like the special human beings most of them are: people who are a little isolated and who welcome a little friendly conversation. If you are able to arrange a situation whereby you are able to engage in such a conversation state your case openly and honestly.
So much depends on the geography of the reception area and the activity levels that prevail as to whether or not you are able to isolate a receptionist for a chat.
In some companies all you see is a bell button beside a window on a wall. At the sound of the bell a glass panel slides back to reveal a face.
A face is revealed out of which something resembling a voice says:
You smile and say something like:
Talking to people on the site of a prospective employer is seldom wasted and all sorts of information snippets may come your way.
You are about to open the door and come face to face with the receptionist.
Certain rules apply, the first of which is:
Put down briefcase, fold any coat you might have with you neatly and place on convenient chair or table. Pick up brief case, place on reception desk and open it.
Make a point of not saying the name of the person you are there to see straight away. If you do so the receptionist will ring and tell whoever it is you are waiting in reception and carry on with what they were doing before you arrived.
Take your time. You have the floor: hang on to it. Use the time it takes to open your briefcase to say hello and make an assessment of the situation. Examine some documentation.
Act as though you are reading the information from a sheet of paper you have taken from your briefcase. The dialogue goes something like this:
Look up, await assurance that you have the job title correct.
They range from blue rinsed old crones whose faces, and I use the term loosely, are reminiscent of dried prunes, to very timid scared to death young girls who some training organisation has persuaded the company to take on for work experience. Somewhere in between are nice, sweet, pretty, glamorous, efficient, helpful and kind members of the female of the species who are a joy to meet.
So having overviewed the receptionist, and at the risk of repeating myself I will say again:
You upset a receptionist at your peril.
No one ever came out of an encounter with a receptionist, winning the day.No one ever will.
You might, if you are very lucky and your guardian angel is having a good day, gain ground on the first assault but you will only do this by having the element of surprise on your side.
Once you are identified you are as good as dead. From then on all you have to do is raise your head above the parapet and you will get it shot off.
Receptionists are in the same position as secretaries; they are the interface between you and the person you are trying to influence. They hold the keys to the candy store. They only have to say to whoever it is you are trying to speak to:
"IT'S THAT RUDE MR. JOBHUNTER ON THE LINE FOR YOU Mr......."
or"IT'S THAT RUDE MR. JOBHUNTER IN RECEPTION FOR YOU Mr...."
and you are dead in the water, shot down in flames, up the proverbial creek without a paddle or whatever other jewel of terminology you prefer.It's a NO WIN situation. Accept it.
Resolve to work within its parameters and promise yourself that you will never attempt to browbeat a receptionist or secretary, ever.A receptionist's duties vary from merely answering the 'phone and happily living on a cloud the rest of the time to booking hotel accommodation and arranging travel for single members or groups of staff, chasing debts, setting up meetings, typing up meeting minutes and so on. You need a little time to take it all in.
Why bother to take it in at all? I'll tell you why.
Receptionists can be a mine of information.
They are at the hub of the gossip that travels between the various departments within a company and know who is taking to who about what in the outside world.Many people within a company treat a receptionist as they would an old toe rag.
The receptionist has not yet been born, the woman has not yet been born who doesn't like to get a bit of her own back. If you can tap into that information highway the receptionist controls you put yourself in a very advantageous position.
They know what goes on but the nature of their job is such that they do not have much opportunity to make deep, meaningful relationships with other members of staff.
They work alone in what is often a cacophony of activity, but they are spectators, not players and consequently are always on the perimeter. Observers at a party, never a player.
Compare this to the players, the people in the company who work together, travel together and stay in hotels on business. They build strong relationships. They become team players born of mutual trust and dependency.
The product or project becomes the bonding agent.
Receptionists have access to much privileged information and they don't have a clue as to the value of it to JOB HUNTER. JOB HUNT is aware of this. I have just made you aware. What you must now do is learn to use it to your advantage.
Hold it - stop right there.
I'm not suggesting that you allow your imagination to run riot and create a fantasy around clandestine meetings with members of the opposite sex who you persuade to impart valuable information whilst snuggled under a duvet in a discreet hotel room. That sort of thing inevitably leads to a whole lot of trouble and you haven't the time to spare anyway.I am talking about treating receptionists decently, like the special human beings most of them are: people who are a little isolated and who welcome a little friendly conversation. If you are able to arrange a situation whereby you are able to engage in such a conversation state your case openly and honestly.
So much depends on the geography of the reception area and the activity levels that prevail as to whether or not you are able to isolate a receptionist for a chat.
In some companies all you see is a bell button beside a window on a wall. At the sound of the bell a glass panel slides back to reveal a face.
A face is revealed out of which something resembling a voice says:
"Can a 'elp yer?"
At which point you once again ask yourself the question:"What the hell am I doing here?"
Let us assume you are walking up to the desk or counter in an open reception as most of them are.You smile and say something like:
"Hello, I'm in need of a little advice, a little help, perhaps a bit of information. I'm trying to get in close to your Mr/Mrs/Ms So and So, you know, head of your contracting department. I'm going to be out of a job soon and need make a few contacts, put my name in the frame. Now I know there is nothing doing officially but the grapevine tells me that a rather large contract is expected quite soon. It could be a rumour of course, no way of telling, but I thought if I could get in to see So and So, make the acquaintance so to speak, I might be in the front line should anything come up in the near future.
A few minutes chat now might put me in the running for a position with your company if you do get the contract.What do you think? What sort of person is So and So? The approachable sort? What would be my best plan? I'll write in of course, but it would help if I was able to meet him first."
You have asked for nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that would get your receptionist into trouble, and nothing that the contact you are after could hold against you. You are simply finding an easy way to meet someone, that's all.The meeting would be, as likely as not, mutually beneficial.
Personal contact, used judiciously, can bring worthwhile rewards. See that those rewards are destined to head in your direction. It's not difficult; just talk to people in a natural way.Talking to people on the site of a prospective employer is seldom wasted and all sorts of information snippets may come your way.
RECEPTION - THE ENCOUNTER
You have spoken to the receptionist, you have spoken to the contact with whom you arranged an appointment and are about to enter the hallowed halls of the company to keep your appointment.You are about to open the door and come face to face with the receptionist.
Certain rules apply, the first of which is:
Take your time. The receptionist is not going to get up and do a runner. She above all people in the company is the one who does less moving about than anyone else. She may not like the look of you, or the delicate aroma of your aftershave, but she is sure as hell not going to make even time to the door and disappear out of your life forever.
Establish territorial gain. You have legitimate reason for being here.Put down briefcase, fold any coat you might have with you neatly and place on convenient chair or table. Pick up brief case, place on reception desk and open it.
Make a point of not saying the name of the person you are there to see straight away. If you do so the receptionist will ring and tell whoever it is you are waiting in reception and carry on with what they were doing before you arrived.
Take your time. You have the floor: hang on to it. Use the time it takes to open your briefcase to say hello and make an assessment of the situation. Examine some documentation.
Act as though you are reading the information from a sheet of paper you have taken from your briefcase. The dialogue goes something like this:
"Hello, I'm here to see Mr. Interviewer; two o 'clock appointment".
Don't wait for a reaction, rummage in briefcase, chances are receptionist will be distracted by an incoming call or some activity in reception. Produce document and wait until receptionist is free to attend to you. Put on a nervous, slightly worried look. Say something like:"Mr. Interviewer, the person I am here to see. Have I got the job title right; Head of Contracts and Tenders?".
Try and look as though your life depended on the answer.Look up, await assurance that you have the job title correct.