By krisplantrich on May 25, 2009 in Career Development, Featured | 0 Comments
1. Resumes and Cover Letters - that are current, concise, and targeted to a specific position not a hodge-podge of experience from the past 10 or 20 years. Target 5-10 companies and customize each resume and cover letter you send out for your biggest bang. Find actual contact names and addresses for each cover letter and make sure the resume is in line with each company’s expectations.
2. Recommendations – Get permission from each referral on your list – every time you look for a job. Remind them of achievements you would like shared when they are called for a referral. If you have reference letters make copies and keep the original at home so it does not get worn or damaged and can be used as a master copy. And don’t forget the Thank You letter!
3. Computer – Job seekers need to be able to be contacted and be able to contact others during their job search. You must know how to send and receive emails, open attachments, send attachments, search the web, and post your resume online. If you do not know how to do some of this – go to the library, take a class, get a book or ask someone for assistance. There are just no options here. If you are not comfortable on the computer start playing around on it. You won’t break it – make it your friend!
4. Networking Cards/Business Cards – While networking, attending social groups, joining associations, or just going to the car wash or gas station you need to be prepared for any opportunity. Instead of using a business card from your previous employment, invest in a set of networking cards. Include your contact information such as your name, address, phone, and email address. You can also include a website address, blog address, or a LinkedIn profile or VisualCV URL. Some job seekers have even included a set up Career Highlights on the back of the card that showcase their unique strengths.
5. A Right Attitude! - The best resume in the world is not going to get you an awesome job that you deserve if your attitude is in need of a serious adjustment. Make sure you are grateful and positive, helpful and aggressive during your search. Don’t let yourself get too down, it will be noticed and could be a deciding factor – or deal breaker. Stay motivated by helping others, sharing knowledge and moving forward.
Once you’ve got everything in place, you are ready to aggressively pursue your ideals jobs with confidence. Use your tools to garner leads, contacts, new friends and interviews and enjoy the journey!
Recent Articles
By admin on Apr 29, 2009 in Featured | 0 Comments
The Independent Sales Rep…by William Cornell
I’ve been an indie rep for 20+ years and I’m convinced being independent is the way to go. Here are reasons why:
- The Rep is in control—no need to worry about layoffs or companies going out of business because, if you’re doing it right, you have multiple lines and sources of income. And you should always be adding new lines, as many as you can handle. Office politics, obnoxious bosses? They won’t matter as much if you’re independent. You can concentrate on the lines that treat you best. Read the rest
By krisplantrich on Mar 23, 2009 in Career Management, Career Development, Featured, Sales Jobs | 2 Comments
Who Are You? Who-Who, Who-Who?
Remember that Who song? “Who Are You – Who-Who, Who-Who?” Great tune! Always made me stop and think for just a second about who I was at that point in my life when I heard the song on the radio. For job seekers it can serve the same purpose when looking at your resume and trying decide what to put in it to make it work for you.
Who are you? Who do you want readers to meet? What do you need to let the reader know that will lure them in and make them want to read more about you? These questions are crucial in writing a powerful and effective resume. Three questions to ponder when developing your resume:
What do You Want Others to Know About You? – It is important to look ahead when writing your resume, look forward. What do you want to do now and in the future, not only what have you done in the past? Read the rest
By admin on Mar 23, 2009 in Career Management, Career Development, Featured, Sales Jobs | 0 Comments
Many comapanies are trying at this very moment to determine how to maintain the skills within their company whilst balancing shareholder interests of obtaining the best possible financial results.
The lessons learnt through the last couple of recessions is companies that slash their workforces may enjoy the benefits of short term financial success but ultimately lose more money in the long term through the shedding of its best and brightest talent. Read the rest
By admin on Mar 16, 2009 in Career Management, Career Development, Featured, Sales Jobs | 0 Comments
It is simply amazing how quickly things have turned around in relation to where the power lies between employer and employee.
Less than a year ago, you might have been searching a site like this because you felt you could get a better car elsewhere or you were not happy with your commission structure or you wanted to get what your colleagues were getting or even because the boss never smiled at you.
Fast forward to the present day and it is all about survival now.
This series of tips is all about not being the one to get the pink slip when your company starts letting go of people in the sales team. Read the rest
By krisplantrich on Mar 9, 2009 in Career Management, Career Development, Sales Resume, Featured | 0 Comments
We all know what the economy is like right now and how fierce the competition is for finding new jobs. Having a well-written resume will get you noticed but isn’t always enough. Having a well-targeted resume will get you notice and get you an interview! Remember to keep in mind that a resume is as an advertisement, commercial, or flyer with one goal in mind - to gets results and get you an interview. So use it the way it is meant to be used by having one focus and making it powerful and attention-grabbing.
Most job seekers want to use a generic resume as a bit of a one-size-fits-all resume and try and squeeze in 20 or 30 years of experience into 2 pages. Job seekers also think they can use one resume for 2 or 3 jobs searches and that by putting in every important thing they’ve ever done in their career is the best way to get notice. Usually they couldn’t be further from the truth. A resume that works and does its’ job, is one that is well written and focused on one specific job or position. Hopefully this article will help you realize the importance of having a well-targeted resume and its benefits. Read the rest
By admin on Feb 14, 2009 in Career Management, Career Development, Featured, Sales Jobs | 0 Comments
It seems like only a few months ago when recruiters could not get enough applications to fill the mountains of jobs that were available.
Now they have a mountain of candidates to choose from but not enough jobs to go around.
How times change! Read the rest
By krisplantrich on Jan 29, 2009 in Career Management, Career Development, Featured | 0 Comments
Letters of recommendation can often be as relevant and as important as referrals. As I have learned recently in my own business, consumers want to be sure that their outlay of money is going to bring them value whether buying food, clothes, fun stuff, or using professional services. I do the same thing when I am looking to make a purchase. I look for the research the product or company, check out the warranty and ask my friends for their opinion or experience of how they liked a certain brand, food or business to work with.
As I said, I recently experienced this in my own business. I was talking with a potential client and getting ready to begin their project when they first wanted referrals. It isn’t a question I often get asked. I’ve got my credentials, experience, and testimonials on my website, my LinkedIn Profile, on several association and job board websites and many other places on the web, so it usually isn’t an issue. They even had one referral already from another client of mine but still wanted more. It got me thinking of my own buying habits, what I look for and expect. It also reminded me of the importance of strong referrals and top-quality recommendation letters for my clients. Read the rest
By admin on Jan 9, 2009 in Career Management, Career Development, Featured | 0 Comments
It is human nature that the more desperate we become, the more we want to believe in those that make us feel good. And scamsters do best in hard time because they are more likely to reach out to people who feel lost, lonely, betrayed and vulnerable.
And when it comes to Sales Jobs, the mantra is let the buyer beware.
What this means for you is to do your due dilligence to ensure that you do not fall victim to the fraudsters, tricksters and various con artists out there.
Read the rest
By krisplantrich on Jan 4, 2009 in Career Management, Career Development, Featured | 0 Comments
Often the dreaded and sometimes hardest part of the interview process is the salary negotiation. Why do negotiations seem so scary? Most feel unqualified and unprepared to maneuver through negotiations and come out with a good deal. Job seekers also think the offer may be rescinded or that they may diminish a positive first impression by coming off too pushy. Neither is really the case. When negotiations are done with the right attitude and based on substantiated facts, job seekers many times improve their first impression by being equally prepared to discuss salary as they were discussing the needs of the position.
Below are a few helpful tips put together after reading several articles and books including a top selling salary negotiations book by Jack Chapman, Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1000 a Minute, that will prepare you to get the most out of your next salary negotiation. Read the rest
