….huh-zah.
Seriously: I’m not being snide. That’s fantastic.
So, why?
Why?
WHY???
Why did you apply?
Like the other 400+ people.
Most of them talented writers.
Put together one hell of a cover letter. (Many of them referring to how they “don’t just think outside of the box: they live outside of it” That’s a quote. From about a dozen different applicants. The box apparently got too full.)
When they did address it, it was “To Whom it May Concern.” Or something equally personal.
Attached their resume.
Wondered why we never called.
You shouldn’t have applied.
None of them should have.
What you should have done (or, will do – that’s a hint, hombre) was to market yourself.
If a sales person doesn’t close me in an interview, they don’t get the job.
If an engineer can’t work (logically) through a problem, they don’t get the job.
If a marketer doesn’t market themselves for a job… well, you know…
The person who gets this plumb (hey, nothing more fun than reworking a brand and making it sing) job is the same person who has marketing in their DNA: it would never occur to them to just shoot in a resume and pray. No matter how clever you write your cover letter, so did somebody else. And somebody else. And….
They’ll approach this the same way they would any campaign: research their target audience, figure out their pain points, and then come up with a clever got-the-recruiter-talking-about-them-at-the-coffee-machine approach.
Because that’s the job. Prove you can do it from the start. Don’t just (e)mail it in. Innovate a little, for gods’ sake.
August 12, 2009 at 9:35 am
I hear you. We have been interviewing for a web marketing manager and the last few people who came in had NO idea what we did. They had done 0 research. I know what my 1st question will be going forward: So, explain to me what we do?
SAy hi to everyone for me (esp JK)
August 12, 2009 at 11:46 am
Many unemployed people are reluctant (or downright afraid) to call about a job they want. Your comments about a salesperson not selling themself and a marketing person not marketing themself is right on the money.
August 12, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Thanks Barrett (we miss you!), and Eric. It’s weird, but this is the one search I’m on right now where I thought “this is going to be really interesting.”
Instead, it’s boring me stiff.
August 12, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Oh, and I hate this: “The VP of Marketing position you have” blah blah blah.
It’s “Marketing Director. There’s nothing vice (beyond your personal time activities) about it. Marketers should resist spamming their resumes – this is a targeted acquisition you’re trying to make.
August 13, 2009 at 4:38 am
Shouldn’t they just use the title used by the company if the vacant position was listed somewhere? And its not just the interviewees spamming their resumes, there are also companies that use these unnecessary job titles in their listings for whatever reasons.
August 15, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Many unemployed people are reluctant (or downright afraid) to call about a job they want. Your comments about a salesperson not selling themself and a marketing person not marketing themself is right on the money.; Many unemployed people are reluctant (or downright afraid) to call about a job they want. Your comments about a salesperson not selling themself and a marketing person not marketing themself is right on the money.;;