Establishing Employment Contacts Career Planning Self Evaluation Career Exploration Choosing a Career Education & Training Job Search Résumé Cover Letters Job Search Interviews Career Maintenance Keeping Your Job Leaving Your Job Seeking A Raise Now that your friends and family know you are looking for work, it's time to branch out into the unknown. People in the industry or job you are interested in may be valuable sources of information. But how do you contact people with whom you have no prior ties? The only way is to take the plunge. Making a "cold call" can be a scary proposition. The key to success is preparation. Now that you are ready to begin establishing job contacts, the telephone cold call is a good place to start. The next step is to meet your contact in person. Check out our tips on making the face-to-face meeting less intimidating. Meeting your contact in person is the ideal. But it is not always possible. A letter may be another alternative.