We do not make sales sourcing decisions based on resumes as you may know from reading our blog. It’s an unreliable approach when looking for strong salespeople or sales leaders. Yet, we do receive resumes in response to our ads and that always leads to some interesting reads. Here are the bullet points listed in one resume describing a candidate’s recent managerial position: –Create and maintain dedicated sales programs and outside events to increase revenue and overall sales –Motivating staff on a daily basis to achieve sales goals and maximize retention –Daily sales analysis to coach representatives into meeting monthly quotas These are 3 good points but they are not… Read More
Continue ReadingA Cover Letter Disqualifier
This is from an online job board: I live in _______. I have a lot of customer service experience, but I am willing to do just about anything. I am in a lot of debt and need a good solid job to help me get out of it. Not good. Apparently the appeal here is to have a company provide money to them to relieve their debt. I feel for them being in debt, but this type of positioning is terrible. Far better to articulate what the company receives for employing the candidate’s services.
Continue ReadingI Wouldn’t Call It a Skill or Hobby
From the Special Skills/Hobbies section of a resume (my emphasis): Athletic in football,baseball,hockey and can play pool very well. Other hobbies include hunting,fishing,horseback riding, drinking, and reading. That definitely falls under the TMI section of communication (Too Much Information).
Continue ReadingCover Letter Dissonance
Welcome back from the long weekend. Let’s start this day with a strange closing from a cover email: I possess SELF-ASSURANCE that naturally helps me to form conclusions, make decisions and act Excellence, not average, is my measure. As a MAXIMIZER I enjoy transforming something strong into something superb. As an ACTIVATOR I cannot wait to start a task. I am eager for action. If you€™re interested in talking please email… If there was any momentum in the cover email, it was stripped away with that last line. It is a subtle, but salient point – asking for an email to talk is a bit passive for an “ACTIVATOR.”
Continue ReadingThe Wrong Salutation
The salutation from another email cover message: Dear All Hiring, Cover emails are difficult to write without starting it in this manner. I’m not a big fan of using “To Whom It May Concern,” but at least it doesn’t draw your attention in a negative way.
Continue ReadingThe Allure Of The Resume
When was the last time you read through a marketing piece concerning a product or service you were considering to purchase? Imagine you are in the market to buy a new vehicle. Do you read through the brochure and accept every statement as objectively true? Or how about attending a trade show and picking up a pamphlet at a booth? Do you consider that information to be an advocate’s view or not? Most people view this information as propaganda and rightly so. Yet when it comes to resumes, many hiring managers use this embellished “product” sheet as the definitive filter for interviews. That’s a mistake that leads to inconsistent sales… Read More
Continue ReadingProof Of Thesis Interviewing
There is a style of interviewing that we encounter frequently that leads many companies down a hiring path they should avoid. I call it “Proof of Thesis” interviewing and here is how it works. The hiring company publishes a job description on a major job board or, heaven forbid, in a printed newspaper. The hiring company refers to the published job description as a “sales ad.” It is not, but that is a topic for another post. Phone calls are generally discouraged. Email copies or resumes are passable. Complex and frustrating navigation through an online applicant tracking system is preferred. So the applicants respond and resumes pour in to the… Read More
Continue ReadingResume Blunders
CNNMoney.com offers the commentary piece 10 dumbest resume blunders. This is an entertaining read to start your Friday. Just a sample: 9. … stated that he works well in the nude. 3. … explained a three-month gap in employment by saying that he was getting over the death of his cat.
Continue ReadingEmail Names To Avoid
20 years ago we would not have been discussing this topic, but Foxnews.com posts this article: Quirky E-Mail Addresses Won’t Help in the Hunt for Jobs. I believe it was Mark Twain who said that common sense ain’t so common. You would think job candidates would be wary of using party-like names. Apparently not: E-mail names deemed unprofessional included: alliecat@, bacardigirl@, bighotdaddy@, drunkensquirl@, foxylady@, gigglez217@. “bighotdaddy” made me laugh. Just as surprising was the fact that someone conducted a study to find out if these email addresses would have an adverse effect on a job search.
Continue ReadingA Strange Cover Email
I’ve never seen this statement in a cover email before: I’m well kept, dress business casual on most days, and mind my own business in the office. This statement comes from the cover letter of a salesperson. If you realize that you only have a small window to make an impression, I think there are far better topics to address in the cover letter. Maybe it’s just me.
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