by Alex Wise

Created on: August 26, 2006   Last Updated: April 17, 2007

As an Executive Search Consultant with over 13 years experience in career management,
I've learned what it takes, even in the most competitve job markets,for a candidate to get the job. Many books and articles have been written on employment related topics such as cover letter and resume writing, interviewing tips, dressing for success, and so forth. I review such materials continuously to stay abreast of industry knowledge and practices. While some of those books and articles offer helpful tips and advise, they usually do not include what I would consider as the most valuable information a job-seeker needs to know: 1) what gets the employer's attention right off the bat, and 2) what makes an employer WANT to meet you.

If you will follow my advise and apply the practices I am about to share, you will dramatically increase your ratio of lead hits and interview opportunities. You won't need "luck," because these methods have already been proven to be highly effective career marketing techniques.

I. WHY RESUMES ARE NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE MARKETING PIECES

If you are marketing yourself, you need a marketing piece. You only have one chance to get an employer's attention once your marketing piece makes it to someone's desk. Most people use their resume, accompanied by a cover letter, to market themselves. That's the first fatal mistake. Using a resume to market yourself is ineffective for the following reasons:
1. Resumes disqualify candidates far more often than qualifying them.
2. A resume, even a one-page resume, has far too much visual information on it, to be an eye-riveting, attention grabber. It will get lost in the stack, along with a hundred or so other "really good" resumes.
3. Descriptions of previous job responsibilities do not sell. There are only three things that an employer is really interested in, and you must fall into one of these 3 categories if you are to get an interview:
i. How your skills meet his immediate needs. Can you fix his toothache?
ii. How your contributions will increase company revenues. Here's where you can actually create a position where there wasn't one if this area is strong enough.
iii. How your contributions will decrease company expenses. This too is a strong seller.

II. MAKE YOUR COVER LETTER YOUR MARKETING PIECE
There are no hard and fast rules, but the following methods that have all proven to be highly effective in securing interviewing opportunities.

1. Put a CATCHY HEADING at the top, such as, "Highly

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>