September 8, 2010

Attention: David
Whitehead Recruitment

Re: Your Advertised Position

Dear Sir or Madam

I would like to apply for the position advertised in The Trumpet on September 9th and hereby attach a copy of my resume for your perusal.

I am currently an Area Manger for Clothes ‘R Us. Clothes ‘R Us is a large, national company that has set the scene for innovation in the women’s casual dress area. With sales of more than $60 million a year, Clothes ‘R Us has become the employer of choice for staff members and has won the trust of the 35-45 women’s demographic.

As the Area Manager based at the Croydon North store, I am responsible for overseeing my team, managing budgets, resolving customer complaints and ensuring that merchandise is displayed to drive foot traffic to the store. I am also responsible for other tasks such as meeting with store managers to provide assistance in how revenues can be generated.

I hope you will consider my application to work for your client’s company. I am loyal, a good leader, responsive to directions and possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills. I also consider myself a big picture visionary.

I would be happy to attend an interview to discuss mutual interests.

Sincerely

John Prospect.

Enclosed: Resume

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What do you think? Does it work for John? Do you think he sounds like a real find?

If you answered no but you’re not quite sure why, here are the reasons this cover letter fails on many levels.

• John has poor manners: If the job advertisement requests that the application be sent to “David”, then the salutation of “Dear Sir or Madam” indicates John has no interest in the person reading his application. People like to be addressed by their names as if they matter. Only resort to a generic salutation when all available angles to research the contact name have been exhausted. (Even then, what about Dear Hiring Manager or something a little warmer?)
• Lack of Detail: A recruiting agency is not going to have just one job advertised. Referring to “Your advertised position” without any reference numbers or titles means the reader is going to have to put extra effort in finding out which vacancy was advertised in a certain newspaper on a certain date. As people generally display reluctance to put themselves out for no evident payoff, there’s a good chance this letter will be placed in the “too hard” pile.
• Wet-Fish Handshake: A redundant, cliched sentence stating “I would like to apply for” scores high in the yawn stakes. Start with something the recruiter hasn’t seen on every cover letter he’s ever reviewed; something that will arouse his interest and awaken in him a level of excitement he has never felt before.
• Fake Legalese: Hereby? Perusal? Really? Does anyone, anywhere really strike up a conversation by saying “Hi John, I am hereby providing you with the notes of our meeting for your perusal”? Opt for a business-like, respectful, yet conversational tone. It is important to give the recruiter an impression that should he call John into a meeting, he won’t be sitting across the desk from a bank manager from the turn of the last century.
• Typographical booboo: Never rely on the computer’s spell check! The word “manger” is routinely and quite rightly passed by spell checkers as it is a word. Proofread the cover letter and then hand it to a friend to read, and then read it again out loud. Everyone makes errors; the key is to find them before looking foolish.
• Self-absorbed text: Four of the paragraphs in this cover letter start with “I” and eight sentences include “I”: I would, I am, I am, I am, I hope, I am, I also, and I would. Rather than making himself the sole focus of the letter, John should be talking about what the employer wants. He needs to replace “I” with “you” (not only on paper but in his mindset and approach) and become more focused on what the employer or recruiter would like to see.
• Unnecessary content: The description of the company being the employer of choice and winning the trust of the women’s demographic is clearly out of place in John’s letter and is off on its own little tangent. Why advertise the company’s services? John needs to reinforce how he can fulfil his next employer’s needs, not sell the virtues of Clothes ‘R Us.
• Duties and Responsibilities: Not one quantifiable example is provided of how John does his job well. Instead the reader is led through a shopping list that could be called job description highlights. As most people know, a duty on a job description doesn’t indicate the job is ever done, nor does it mean it is done well. John’s letter talks in generalities about what he could or may do but not what he has contributed and how he has made things better.
• Cliches: John is loyal, a good leader and responsive to directions. Great, he’s a puppy. He also sounds like everyone else which is at odds with his self-proclaimed “big picture visionary” statement.
• No call to action: A passive request that he’ll attend an interview to discuss mutual interests scores highly on the yawn scale. Forget the happiness about being called to interview, asked for action!

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Let’s use the information above to create something new.

7 Happybrook Lane
Croydon Vic 3136
Telephone: 8888 7776
Email: John@bigpool.com

September 8, 2010

Attention: David
Whitehead Recruitment

Re: Regional Manager, National Clothing Inc., Reference RM/1001.DWR

Dear David

In today’s turbulent economic environment, retailers need leaders demonstrating the confidence to continue red-carpet service for loyal customers, the energy to maintain a responsive, top-quality staff and the initiative to take bold steps for cost containment and lean operations.

Your advertisement indicates that your client is seeking individuals with those talents and more, and it is common knowledge in the industry that National Clothing Inc., is in the type of growth pattern that is my area of specialisation.

National Clothing Inc., will benefit from my leadership in the areas of budget management, revenue generation and store rejuvenation as the following selected highlights of recent times will prove.

• Transformed a demoralised group of people with high levels of absenteeism, into a formidable, customer service team providing service that delights. Customer-engagement rates previously languishing, rose 32% to an all-time high of 97% following delivery of an integrated program of training, succession planning and incentives.
• Surpassed expectations for cutting the budget by 10% without compromising levels of service and numbers of front-line staff. Outsourced administrative and payroll services and negotiated a multi-year deal that cut expenses by $500K annually.
• Kick-started a new, store-wide sales and marketing campaign for a channel partnership that generated unprecedented foot traffic to stores. Initiative delivered ROI in the first three weeks and progressed to create $1M in new revenues in six months.

As the current Area Manager for Clothes ‘R Us, I can bring to National Clothing Inc., a new leadership style to propel the company forward as it seeks to stamp its mark of distinction in all areas from customer and staff engagement, though new market penetration and beyond.

It would be a pleasure to discuss your client’s needs and my capacity to meet and exceed their expectations with new solutions and proven programs. I am available to chat in the next week and keen to move forward. Please let me know what days and times work for you.

Thanks David for your time. Look forward to speaking with you soon.

Sincerely

John Prospect

Enclosed: Resume

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This new cover letter is confident, provides proven examples of John’s expertise, and has a sense of urgency that compels the reader to pick up the telephone. The emphasis is on the client’s needs, and it takes the reader on a journey.

Perhaps it is time to review what you’re doing. Are you submitting cover letter yawns?

Meet Erica. Erica has been a team manager in customer service for years. Her leadership role grew from being a call centre operator and over time she has moved into management roles. Six months ago Erica was sent on a training course by the company to learn more about safety awareness. The aim was to cascade the information she had acquired to her team so they understood about the importance of safety. To most people, a training course is just another workplace obligation, but for Erica, this one was a revelation. The more she heard about safety, its impact on morale and staff wellbeing and how to identify workplace hazards, the more her interest soared. For the first time in years, Erica was excited about going to work as each day held the promise of something new.

Such was her passion and success over those six months, the spark of an idea began to form. Could a change of career as a Safety Advisor or Consultant become a possibility? Erica was excited but concerned. With a background in customer service and team leadership and just six months in safety, how could she convince people she was a viable candidate?

Meet John. John is a senior manager in training and development. Last year he accepted a redundancy from a multinational vehicle manufacturer and struggled through the multitude of emotions that unexpected change can trigger. John emerged from the experience bruised, but ready to fight another day. He scored another role and settled in well until last week when the company announced more than 300 staff would be made redundant nationwide. John was one them.

Two redundancies in two years and John is reeling. He spends the week analysing his talents and thinking about his future. The emotional strain of another big company and another potential redundancy is something he can’t even contemplate.

An idea pops into his head. Real Estate! He’s personable and friendly and every weekend he scours the real estate pages in the newspaper to keep an eye on the prices in his suburb, what sells and recent auctions. The more he thinks about it, he sees how a change of career could be a blessing and his enthusiasm grows as he researches the training and licences he needs to achieve his goal. A nagging voice within makes him doubt how success will be possible. He’s never sold anything, let alone a house! How does he convince others he has what it takes?

Erica and John have the same problem. Convincing decision makers of why they should be chosen in favour of other candidates who most likely have a great deal more experience is tricky. Ultimate success requires perseverance, an abundance of conviction and self-belief, outside-the-box thinking, an agile mindset, and the ability to focus on the future with barely a glance to the past.

First the resume. The resume is the logical place to start as it will be the document that most employers will ask for in response to job applications or networking. Writing a resume for a career changer means the jobseeker has to be utterly ruthless about culling information from his or her past and be prepared to erase job descriptions and some achievements entirely if they hold no relevance to the future goal. It means to analyse tasks and skills from a career lifetime and capitalise on the skills shared by both.

At the end of the process, the resume must look as if it is written for and by a candidate who is qualified solely for the desired position. Obscuring the vision with irrelevant information is to make your presentation confusing to the person who is reading it.

Make no mistake. This can be a gruelling task and it can be surprisingly upsetting to let go of achievements or information that you hold close to your heart. Many people choose professional resume writers and branding strategists as objective experts who know the process inside-out. If this is not an option due to financial, personal or time constraints, then start by listing your transferable skills and under each skill compose an achievement from your past that aligns with your future. This is how you begin to create a new story for yourself.

Next, who do you know? Who can help you get noticed? Career changers who apply for jobs by traditional means such as newspaper classifieds or on job boards such as Seek.com are often doomed due to the sheer numbers of qualified, experienced candidates in their fields who use these channels. Networking is the single most effective strategy for career changers to get seen by a company through recommendation of an existing employee who can vouch for your fit with the organisation.

Who can you have a coffee with, find out about the industry, get insights into the way things are done, and who can get you before decision makers? You can try sites such as Linked-in or even Facebook to reconnect with people who can give you a leg up.

Social Networking. Social networking such as Twitter and Facebook may be something new to you and you may feel a little uncomfortable in embracing these tools. However changing your career is all about stepping outside your comfort zone so take the plunge wholeheartedly. There are professionals, particularly on Twitter right now who work in the job you want, are in the industry you want to enter, or who place candidates into your desired field. Learn the ropes of how to do it, the etiquette of participating in public forums, search for the right people to follow, initiate contact, make friends and once you have done that, ask questions. People are always there to help and provide guidance. Never, ever forget who you are, the image you are building and what you are trying to achieve. Statements that are rude, off-colour jokes and more will all combine to build a picture of who you are and how you will be assessed. Think to yourself “Would this affect my relationship with my new employer?” before you act.

Social networking isn’t just microblogging on Twitter, adding connections on Linkedin or joining friends on Facebook. It is all about building a network and getting known. Try searching for blogs and articles on your area of interest. If you have a constructive or interesting comment to make or information to add, comment at the conclusion of the article. Anyone searching for your name will find a consistent pattern of an individual passionate about your new field.

Create your own blog or resume website. Many sites are free such as Blogger or you can look at VisualCV. Your blog will provide you with a forum to talk about what you know and establish your credentials as an expert. Place your blog address on your resume too. When recruiters or employers search for your name, your blog will add to your personal brand. Again, make this a professional blog. No bad language, no pictures of your cat or your cute baby (no matter how proud you are!)

Changing careers can be an exciting, roller coaster ride of triumphs and disappointments. But if you look at it, not just as a change of career but as an opportunity to do and try many things you have never tried before, then it can be a whole new world of experiences, opportunities and lifestyle.

Question is: are you up for it?

Seemingly out of the blue, Linda was retrenched. Just last year she was given a bonus and now she’s packing her desk. Linda’s angry, hurt and confused. She analyses every conversation and comes to the conclusion she was, without a doubt, badly done by.

As she talks to friends and former colleagues about her retrenchment, her voice takes on an angry tone and bitterness creeps into the way she cynically refers to management’s role in her position’s demise. They were shortsighted; how sorry they will be when they realise only she understands a certain task, and it will only be a matter of time before management acknowledges the error that has been made. Friends are uncomfortable; it becomes a little hard to talk to Linda as she is consumed with proving her innocence and making a case (if only to them) for how she was wronged.

At interviews, job search consultants are concerned. Red flags are raised when they observe Linda’s responses to their questions about her former job. Linda appears hard, her smile forced; there is no mistaking the anger within her rankles. It’s not so much what she says; it’s the way she holds herself, the way her attitude barely disguises the resentment and indignation she feels when recounting her achievements, and how the level of zeal and commitment for this new job opportunity is missing.

Meet Fred.

Fred is a stand-up guy. He’s intelligent and his ethics are sound. After witnessing a prolonged period of questionable behaviour at his workplace, he decides to blow the whistle on the perpetrators. His reward for caring so much is dismissal; he’s rocked the boat, cannot prove his assertions and he’s given his marching papers. Questions are raised about his work performance which to now has been considered exemplary.

Fred is livid. He writes letters to the Managing Director calling for a reversal of the decision to let him go. He cites further breaches of behaviour he has witnessed during his employment and demands to be reinstated. He devotes hours searching the internet, looking for “dirt” on the supervisor who he believes encouraged the breaches in behaviour and who was undoubtedly involved in the decision to terminate his services. Fred creates a blog where he invites other whistle-blowers to contribute.

Stop the insanity!

Linda and Fred are both focusing on the past and actively sabotaging their potential to move forward.

You don’t need to agree with it

The key for Linda is to understand and come to terms with what has happened. She can do this by seeking an audience with her manager, supervisor or human resources department to find out why and on what basis this decision was made if it has not been made clear. Linda will not agree with the decision or any of the explanations. That’s fine. Linda does not need to agree with it, she just needs to understand it happened.

Now Linda has been given an explanation, she needs to let go. First on the list to the way forward is acknowledging that this has happened to her. Second, is to comprehend that this one experience does not set the scene for the next and all others to come because not all employers are the same and to think they are is to be in a perpetual state of mistrust. To invite this jaundiced view of the world by allowing negativity, suspicion and acrimony to define who she is and how she communicates, is to repel potential employers and damage any chance she is given to move forward and make a new beginning.

Look to the future, not to the past

Fred is devoting hundreds of hours shoring up support to validate his actions in his own mind. He is not only stuck in the past, he’s revelling in it. Instead of letters of demand for reinstatement, he could be brushing up his resume, writing a cover letter, identifying who in his network can help him secure employment and calling recruiting firms. Instead of taking the time to establish his brand as the ‘wronged party’ through his whistle-blower website and moderating the acidic contributions of the like-minded, he could be investing in a training course, learning a new, in-demand skill, or taking on temporary assignments as a contractor to create something new and positive in his life.

Bad things happen to good people
It’s a fact. Bad things happen to good people. In fact, in the scheme of things very few people are dismissed for flagrant breaches of the rules such a stealing or violence. People are terminated for a range of reasons that have little to do with work performance—and everything to do with how individuals fit into a pre-determined structure. Accepting that and looking to the future is where you begin.

Regardless of how unfairly you were treated or how wrong the decision was, investing one more minute in being indignant and outraged is from this point on, an act of self-sabotage. The power of that decision has transitioned to your hands. Do you let it define you, do you want to be right regardless, or do you make it become the catalyst that spurs you on to the next and greater opportunity?

The decision on what to do next, is yours.

As the wind howls down the cold city streets reminding you of the folly of not wearing fleecy undergarments, you can always count on your humorous friend to cheerfully remark “Is it cold enough for you?” as you take refuge inside the warm coffee shop where you’re meeting for a spot of networking.

Yes, winter is a miserable, bone-aching and often depressing time and it is tempting to place your job search on hold, snuggle up on the couch with a DVD and think about getting a job another day.

Tempting yes, good practice? No.

Winter in Australia is an excellent time to kick start your job search. The business sector is working solidly without distractions, post-summer jobseekers are too busy to be disgruntled, and fewer decision makers are on extended vacation.

How can you heat up your job search and make winter a season that works for you? Here are five ways that you can keep up your momentum to ensure you are the hot candidate.

1. Telephone people in your network. Ah yes the telephone; a communication device that will allow you to avoid (at least for a while) venturing outside. Think of at least one person to call every day to advise that you’re back on the market and ask if he or she will keep an ear out for you.

2. Freshen up your resume. How long have you been adding new information to an old format? Years perhaps? Use your rainy day to research samples of how resumes are presented now or better still, to research professional resume writers to do the job for you. In preparation, rediscover performance reviews, testimonials, job descriptions and emails that will prompt you to remember some great examples of your achievements.

3. Establish or revamp your Linked-in Profile. Is it up-to-date? Does it indicate to someone searching for a professional with your skills that you are available? Linkedin is used by recruiters as a tool to seek potential candidates. Make sure they can find you easily.

4. Get in the right mindset. Winter can have a negative effect on many people; depression and inertia being just two byproducts of enduring endlessly grey days. For many, it is hard to ramp up enthusiasm and it will show in all your interactions. Consider a job search coach who will keep you accountable to your goals and be your partner in success. Start researching the type of service and people who can provide this service to you. Preparing yourself to last the distance in a job search, particularly in the winter months, can be just as an important tool as your resume or network.

5. Develop your job search plan. What type of job do you want? What industry? Who will you report to? What recruiting firms are you planning to contact? What salary are you seeking? What are your main obstacles to being successful that you can see? What action can you take to lessen those risks? What companies do you want to work for? Who should you contact? What are you offering that is more attractive than your competitors? Take your time to work on this seriously. Everything worth doing is worth planning for.

Following these five action tasks will heat up your job search and keep you occupied on those rainy day weekends. The ground work you put in now will yield a good crop of opportunities ripe for the picking come Spring!

I am a member of the Career Collective. A group of experienced career professionals who blog on specific topics every month. Look for our posts on Twitter #careercollective. Meantime, check out other member articles on this topic below.

Turn Off The Computer, Tune Into What’s Happening, & Heat Up the Job Search, @chandlee

Heating up the Job Search-How to Stay Motivated During the Summer, @erinkennedycprw

Light the Fire Under Your Feet, @careersherpa

Cool Job Seekers Heat Up Their Search in the Summer, @barbarasafani

Some assembly required, @DawnBugni

Summertime, Sluggish Economy Provide Strong Motivation for an Updated Resume, @KatCareerGal

9 Ways to Heat Up Your Job Search This Summer, @heatherhuhman

Getting Out From Under Chronic, @WorkWithIllness

Upping Your Job Search Flame; Be ‘Needed, Not Needy,‘ @ValueIntoWords

Is Your Career Trapped in the Matrix? @WalterAkana

Put some sizzle in your job hunt – how to find a job now, @keppie_careers

Summertime – and the Job Search Ain’t Easy, @KCCareerCoach

Hot Tips for a Summer Job Search, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

Heat Up Your Job Search: Avoid Job Boards, @JobHuntOrg

Heating Up Your Job Searching Skills: Networking 101 and 102, @GLHoffman

Treasure Hunt—Yo-ho-ho! Heat Up Your Job Search, @resumeservic

Recruiters are human, so naturally there will be people who try to take the line of least resistance, be burned out or dismissive of your emotions. For those few who give the industry a bad name, there are many who fly the flag of excellence. Those people can be your greatest advocate as “Holder of the Secrets”.

Did you know that the search consultant can run interference for you on salary, benefits and perks? Search Consultants know what the employer wants, are savvy to the lengths the employer is willing to pay, understand the classifications and pay scales the firm follows, and evaluates the potential for negotiations. After advising you, the recruiter is able to test that flexibility without your involvement, leaving you squeaky clean, talented and willing to start work when everything has been ironed out. Recruiters are used to negotiations; it is part of the business and is expected by the employer. No emotions involved, no bad feelings. Allow them to apply their knowledge to your benefit.

As “Holder of the Secrets” the search consultant has been fully briefed on the required experience and industry background the employer demands. Consequently, if the recruiter suggests to you that your resume should include more information about your time at BHP in 1986 because the employer wants the candidate to have mining and exploration experience, then do it! Regardless of how silly it sounds or how it goes against everything you know about resumes, just do it! As “Holder of the Secrets” the recruiter is leaving crucial signposts to help you on your journey. It is up to you to heed this advice and recognise these pointers as “secrets” other candidates may not have or be privy to.

Search consultants have a stake in your successful placement and it is not limited to one commission payment. Experienced recruiters are astute enough to recognise that such relationships are a two-way street; after he helps you, you may choose him to help you hire your team. A kind of “you pat my back, I’ll pat yours” arrangement.

So the next time you deal with a recruiter, given him or her a chance to rise to your expectations before you dismiss them as that sturdy brick wall. You may find that your courtesy, flexibility and willingness to listen will do more for your candidacy and positioning for roles now and in the future, than herding them all under the heading of “necessary evil”.

From: Jane E. Recruiter, Human Resources

Date: Thursday 6 May 2010 12.19pm

To: John Smith

Subject: Your Application for Job No. 12345

Dear John,

Thank you for applying for the position of Operations Manager at XYZ Corporation. (Job No. 12345).

Your application was very impressive, however there were other applicants with experience more suited to the role. While you were not successful on this occasion, we have kept your resume on file for any future, similar positions.

Thank you again for your interest. All the best for the future.

Yours sincerely, Jane E. Recruiter, Human Resources

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From: John Smith

Date: Thursday 6 May 2010 12.39pm

To: Jane E. Recruiter, Human Resources

Subject: Re: Your Application for Job No. 12345

Dear Jane,

WHAT???!!!!

Are you KIDDING me????

I cannot BELIEVE this! I know for a FACT that there are only three people with my qualifications and knowledge currently on the market! Your employer must either be a complete imbecile or YOU failed to provide advocacy for my candidacy as is your JOB!

Anyway, if anything else comes up PLEASE keep me in mind!!!!!

John.

PS…Who got the gig???

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Put yourself in Jane E. Recruiter’s position right now. After receiving this reply from John Smith is she likely to:

• Think fondly of John as a highly professional, competent candidate and recommend him for any future roles?
• Roll her eyes, make that kind of harrumph noise people make when they are insulted and decisively hit the delete key?

If you guessed that Jane would send John, his candidacy, and his outraged electronic rant to the dark void of cyberspace for all eternity, you’d be probably be close to the mark.

John made the mistake that all of us make from time-to-time; he responded immediately from a place of emotion rather than one of thoughtful consideration. He’d “scratched an itch” and for one wonderful, glorious moment of insanity, it felt good.

In the cold, hard light of day though, John responded to a perfectly professional email from Jane by scorning the employer, insulting Jane’s capabilities, claiming to know every qualified candidate on the market, and shouting at her (capital letters are considered shouting in electronic communications). Let’s not even discuss the unprofessional and childish punctuation! As John’s rant wound down, he demanded that Jane “PLEASE keep him in mind”.

Keep him in mind? The likelihood that Jane would enthusiastically advance John’s candidacy for a similar role in the future is next to nil; and who knows how much influence Jane has across her professional and personal networks?

Next time you are tempted to “scratch that itch”, vent to a friend instead. Cry on your girlfriend/mother/wife’s shoulder and kick the fence. Then when you have cooled down, rise above the emotion and start writing the most gracious, professional letter of thanks you’ve ever written. Your future may depend on it!

Her ability to overcome adversity was impressive and I told her so; and that was when she said those jaw-dropping words “I’d like you to include that in my resume”.

“In your resume” I repeated, not sure I’d heard her correctly.

“Yes” she nodded enthusiastically, “I think it will show my ability to rise above problems, find solutions and organise”.

Fast forward a few years later. I was developing a resume for a woman who had a distinguished 15-year marketing career prior to her extended absence for maternity leave and later, caring for the infant.

“It’s very important to me that you include my maternity leave in my career history” she said. “It will show people that I can triumph over pain, that I have responsibility and I’m stable, and that I’m creative. I want to include quite a bit of time marketing that aspect of my life”.

Then there was the young twenty-something job seeker who wanted to me to include her lawsuit against her last employer for sexual harassment. “It’s important” she advised sagely, “That people reading my resume know that I left because of the harassment, not because I’d done anything wrong”.

Well, you’d think after twenty years in this business nothing could surprise me but in each of these instances, I was gobsmacked.

Why would these professionals who had so much to offer, want to invite strangers into their personal lives? Why did they think that that employers would be less impressed by their professional competencies and achievements and instead, choose to be exposed to recounts of daily beatings, the pain of childbirth, and sleazy workplace behaviours?

Granted these are extreme cases; but in each of these situations the jobseeker failed to understand what the employer was looking for in an employee. They were too invested in what they wanted to say, than what the employer wanted to hear and they had painted a mind picture of how to communicate these parts of their lives in a way that they believed provided a positive “spin”. The only problem was that they never needed to mention any of these things at all, let alone try to sell the lessons learned!

Before attempting to develop a tenuous link between your life experiences and your professional life, delve into what you have achieved in the workplace first.

There are many ways to showcase your true talents that are more appropriate for an employer to assess without revealing your private life to the scrutiny of a stranger! It’s a strategy that can precipitate future discrimination, fast track dismissal of your candidacy for a job, and provide ample evidence that you cannot distinguish what is appropriate and what is not!

Letting it all hang out? Forget it!

Taking a break from hearth cleaning at home, Cinderella scours searchforaprincess.com when she spies the perfect role advertised at Prince Charming Inc. Seems the CEO, Prince Charming, is looking for a Princess to co-manage his kingdom. The successful candidate need have no actual experience in kingdom management, but must possess a demure smile, the ability to triumph over workplace bullying, a magical mentor, professional ballroom dancing skills, and a foot able to slip perfectly into a one-of-a-kind glass slipper.

Quickly, Cinderella completes the details online, clicks the “Submit” button and waits for a call from the palace. A week later still no call. Three weeks later, Cinderella decides that a career in hearth cleaning is clearly in her future. Her hopes dashed, she shrugs and continues scrubbing. Seems whatever Prince Charming was looking for, it wasn’t her.

Many job seekers are like Cinderella 2010. They see the Internet as being a quick and easy solution that will transform their job search dreams to a reality; no fuss, no bother.

Want to apply for a job you like? It’s easy! Just upload your details, hit the submit button and wait for the call!

Want to call a recruiter about the job or the progress of your candidacy but too reticent/nervous/scared to do so? Just shoot off an email!

Want to work for a company but worried that you will meet a gatekeeper who will not let you gain access to the decision makers? An email will take care of that too!

One of the biggest misconceptions about the Internet is that it made getting a job easier. It didn’t. It just provided a swifter transit for communications; communications incidentally that may not even reach or be read by the right person or people; as Cinderella 2010 (clearly the ideal candidate) discovered.

The fact is, human resources is a human contact business and no matter how streamlined the initial process of communication, at some point, the job seeker is going to have to get off his or her chair and be proactive; talk to someone, pitch skills and make contact. Take the risk of being rejected instead of hiding behind an electronic wall.

The amount of effort you invest is directly aligned to the outcome. Prince Charming, seeking to fill the position of Princess will not travel from door-to-door bearing a glass slipper until he finds you. There is a price for taking the easy way out in just about everything in life; the price you pay in the job seeking arena is not standing out, not being seen, and not being recognised as the right candidate for the job.

Adjust your way of thinking beyond the electronic wall. Pick up the telephone and call a recruiter, ask intelligent questions about the job being offered and get known. Raise your profile; talk with friends and former colleagues to uncover the potential for upcoming jobs so you can start making approaches before a position is advertised. Form a friendly relationship with gatekeepers who have the power to get you before decision makers. The way forward is in your hands. Remember, minimum effort yields minimum rewards.

Revised ending: Cinderella 2010. Cinderella 2010 calls the Palace.

“Hello? My name is Cinderella. I forwarded my details to you a few days ago and I may have neglected to mention that I may be the individual you seek. Specifically, I believe my foot may fit a glass slipper that I inadvertently lost following my last dance with Prince Charming at the ball……”

“That would be a good idea, I’ll build a bridge! Fred? Hand me a steel pylon!”

No major decisions should ever be contemplated without a plan.

Many jobseekers make the mistake of failing to plan. They ride on a wave, spill from job-to-job, make the same mistakes and never rise through the ranks or get where they want to go. Like a wide-eyed infant, jobseekers totter, hands outstretched, falling into the first job that presents itself; in love with the idea of being wanted rather than analysing the strategy of their circumstances and goals.

So how does a job search plan work? Start by writing the who, how, where, when and why of your job search.

• Why am I considering changing jobs? Is it because I don’t like the people, the role, or the pay? Are the hours too long or do I foresee financial difficulties in the company’s future? Am I in a dead-end job?
• What will be my next strategic career move?
• Where do I see myself headed in the next two years? Do I want to stay in the same industry, do I want to transition to a new industry? Do I want to be one step up the rung higher than I am now, or more?
• How do I get to where I want to go? Will I need training, more experience? Will I need to get to know a certain person or group of people who can help me make that happen?
• When should I start to make things happen for myself? Could it be when I have finished my current studies and I’m on a firmer footing? Or, I should start looking into training courses immediately?
• Who would be the best person who could advise or mentor me? Is there someone who knows the ropes, or someone who could introduce me to people in my desired industry? Who is that person?

This is the beginning of your job marketing plan.

Next write down a new heading “What Do I Offer?” Under that heading list your “hard” skills. Hard skills are talents you have that are specific to your job. For instance Sales and Marketing Campaign Management may be a skill you have, or Channel Distribution, or Process Re-engineering.

Underneath, write a new heading “What skills do I need for my next career move?”

Research the next job you explored in the first section of your job search plan. What skills do you need to do the job well? Compare what you offer to what you need. What are you missing?

Use the information you have just learned to create your next section.

“Skills I am missing and need to have”

List how you could acquire those skills to reach your goal. Does it mean you have to do more training? Or get more experience? Consider: can I acquire that experience and training with my current employer? If so, would it be a better strategy to remain in my role and make it known that I would like to be extended through training or more responsibility? If this is not possible, where do I have to go to acquire this experience? Would an interim job that exposes me to a new industry or tasks be a better strategic move? Could an overseas assignment provide me with the leg-up necessary to span several rungs on the ladder?

By now, your plan should be taking shape. Review it. You will see some clear ideas emerging about where you want to work, the type of environment that allows you to thrive, and actions you will need to take to achieve your goals.

Later, you will need to plan who will create your job search documents (resume, cover letter, biography, website, Linkedin profile and more). Are your skills rusty or will you need interview coaching? Will you benefit through involvement in social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and more? Consider what will work for you. Do the research. Ask the experts. Form an understanding of what is expected for the industry and type of job you seek next.

This job search plan will be your career blueprint—a living document that provides a tactical plan for your career and lifestyle.

Don’t ask Fred to “Pass the pylon!” The bridge to a long-term career is careful planning and analysis and it’s an infinitely better strategy than allowing luck and circumstance drive your decisions and your success.

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken” Oscar Wilde

“Thanks so much!” said Jim as he prepared to leave my office with his new resume. “Oh there’s just one thing”, he whispered conspiratorially. “I guess I had better get a wife and three kids before my interview! Ha!”

Stunned, I stood there processing the fact that I’d been lied to as Jim took off down the road with a spring in his step, a cheery wave and a wink.

Thinking back, I had known in my heart something was wrong. I remembered that growing sense of disquiet I felt as Jim rattled off his widely diverse set of skills, credentials and career history.

It seemed as if Jim was one of those “been there, done that” kind of guys.

Drive a forklift? You bet!

Create a departmental budget? Sure!

Build? Present to executives? Lead teams? Tick Tick Tick!

It was the wink and the “wife and three kids” chuckle that prompted the penny to drop. Jim had been lying on his resume.

About everything? Some things? Who knew? Who ever knows the extent to which a person willing to deceive you once, will keep on going?

What I did know, was that I had been lied to and so had Jim’s next potential employer.

Jim had allowed himself to be tricked into a common job search blunder—modelling and shaping his resume and experience in a way that he thought people wanted to hear.

Instead of being truthful, he clearly believed that the truth wasn’t compelling enough for him to get a job; so he simply made up a new “truth”!

I suspect that Jim’s research had indicated that employers found family men, or a certain skillset or knowledge base the most attractive and so, he believed his best chance of employment was simply to claim those skills and attributes. Unfortunately for Jim as he would have no doubt found out eventually, the way to position himself as a valued employee, is through training and experience so that he could offer far more than just words.

One can only imagine the employer’s anger and sense of betrayal when hiring a forklift driver who couldn’t operate a forklift, a manager who struggled overseeing a budget, or a salesman who failed to invoke interest in a product.

Yes, Jim sure would have been in for a world of disappointment, and if he had been interviewed by a “pro” then his carefully constructed imaginary world would have come tumbling down in no time with just a few well thought-out behavioural-based questions.

The incident with Jim has rankled for years and comes to mind every time I have a client make grandiose claims. Having learned a lesson from this rookie mistake early in my career, my client job seekers are now questioned in-depth to find actual examples of their experience.

I smile now when I hear “Hmm… now that you mention it, I think you should leave this out, as I don’t really think that I did [personally bring in the largest account in company history / build the Sydney Harbour Bridge singlehandedly / change the world as we know it / or was instrumental in a multinational company expanding into China ]

The moral of this story is never fall into the trap of telling people what you think they want to hear, especially if your experience does not support it. What may follow your “little white lie” may end up being one of the worst and costly career and life mistakes you’ll make, if not through exposure at interview leading to your candidacy dismissed, then perhaps much, much later when you’re established in your career.

You don’t need April 1 to fall for an April Fools trick. You’re fooling yourself if you think that little white lie won’t return spectacularly to ruin your future and reputation.

I am a member of the Career Collective. A group of experienced career professionals who blog on specific topics every month. Look for our posts on Twitter #careercollective. Meantime, check out other member articles on this topic–links at the bottom of this article.

Please see other discussions on common job search blunders and possible solutions from Career Collective members below.

10 Ways to Tell if Your Job Search is a Joke, @careerealism

April Fool’s Day – Who’s Fooling Who?, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

Don’t Kid Yourself! (The Person You See in the Mirror is a Good Hire), @chandlee

Avoiding the Most Common Blunder, @jobhuntorg

Are you fooling yourself? Bored at work? Is it your own fault?, @keppie_careers

Hey, Job Seeker — Don’t Be a Fool!, @resumeservice

Job Search Is No Joking Matter,  @careersherpa

Is Your #Career in Recovery or Retreat? (All Joking Aside), @KCCareerCoach

9 Ways You Might Be Fooling Yourself About Your Job Search, @heatherhuhman

Don’t get tricked by these 3 job search blunders, @LaurieBerenson

Trying to hard to be nobody’s fool?,  @WorkWithIllness

It’s not all about you, @DawnBugni

Mirror ‘their’ needs, not ‘your’ wants in #jobsearch, @ValueIntoWords

Stop Fooling Yourself about your Job Hunt: Things you may be doing to sabotage yourself – @erinkennedycprw

Same as it ever was – @walterakana

Don’t be fooled. Avoid these – @kat_hansen

Job Seekers: You Are Fooling Yourself If...@barbarasafani