[ID:0312]Who should you talk to? Try to speak directly with a manager in one of the organization's international divisions. Failing that, an employment officer in an international division is also a good starting point.

Keep in mind that international hiring decisions are rarely made by personnel officers or the personnel department. These decisions are made by project officers and other executives managing international operations.

(RELATED ARTICLE: For more information about "Who Makes The Hiring Decisions?" see The Hiring Process.)

You may have difficulty in getting past the administrative assistant or receptionist. He or she will likely ask such questions as: "What is this in reference to?" or "May I help you?"

Prepare yourself with a set of responses. Rather than answering, "to dis­cuss employment possibilities," or simply, "no," a preferable response would be:

"I'm looking for information on your organization's African...