We run a systematic hiring process for sales positions. We have refined the process over the past 14 years and have it optimized (even though when we started we were writing newspaper employment ads!). As part of any hiring process, you have to receive resumes of respondents to the ad. This is where things are changing. A new trend I am seeing is resumes with copy and paste information from job descriptions, websites, etc. What I mean is candidates do not take the time to write about their skills and experience in their current or previous roles. They simply use web/marketing copy that they paste into their resume. I have… Read More
Continue ReadingMind Your Address
It just doesn’t seem so difficult to figure this out, but candidates keep using their personal email addresses that seem to date back to their college days. Of course, there wasn’t email when I was in college…different story. Here is one I came across today: shovelhead@yahoo.com Unbelievable. Instead of considering his candidacy, I am left with thoughts of the potentially peculiar shape of his head.
Continue ReadingWatch The Writing
I would not hire a single salesperson without first seeing a writing sample of some sort from them. The information age has made writing a priority skill in communicating with prospects. This cover letter sentence makes me lose my faith in proofreading: I relocated down south due to my wifes job and the maeket for my construction managment was not very good so I ventured in to new firlds. There are different levels of errors within cover letters and resumes. This example would fall in the “very bad” error pile.
Continue ReadingSpell Check Ain’t So Common
The title of a resume I found online: Experience Hard Warker
Continue ReadingTime And Title
I’m digging around the resume pile again and came across a title that I actually enjoyed (slightly edited by me): Sales Pro Seeking New Dragons To Slay I know, it is a bit quirky, but it stands out which is important in it’s own right. I opened up the resume to look at the details inside and found this piece of information under the Education section (redacted by me): _________ University 1986-2001 Liberal Arts So much for the good title.
Continue ReadingNot So Confidential
I got a kick out of this – I’m looking through resumes online and I came across one that was listed as confidential. Candidates put a title to their resume that often says “Experienced Sales Professional” or something of that sort. The candidate can then hide their personal contact information (name, address, phone, etc.) and their current employer. This person did that. Except the title for their resume was their actual name as in “John Doe’s resume.” Oops.
Continue ReadingFun From The Sourcing File
This is the title from a sales resume: sales pro here looking for best carrer oppertunity Spell check is a jobseeker’s best friend.
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