The Resume Store's GET-A-JOB Blog

Impacting, Memorable, Unforgettable

By Arnie Sherr

“Hey, don’t you remember me? We met about 5-years ago; in fact, we had dinner together at The Palm. I remember it like it was yesterday.”

How embarrassing; I cannot bear to tell her that not only do I not remember her or that diner, I cannot even recall her name. Is she putting me on?

Sounds like an episode of “Two and a Half Men”; but remember, TV emulates life. Why does she remember me and I cannot recall any of it. Is there something wonderful about me or am I just that unforgettable?  I do not think that much of me as to believe I so wonderful or, for that matter, unforgettable.  

So why then do some remember what others cannot?

Many times, it may have little or nothing to do with he or she remembered. It may have been a time in her life when this happenstance meant something special; perhaps after a hurtful breakup from a significant another. Maybe, she had never eaten that The Palm and always fantasized at doing so. Who really knows? What I do know is that I cannot remember a thing about that night.

Whatever the reason, she was impacted in a way or ways that caused that experience to be engrained in her memory. It may have been me or something totally unrelated to me.

As a writer of resumes, I try to write documents that influence their readers in ways that cause an indelible impression; one that stays vivid even after interviewing several others.

What is amazing about this noble objective is that seldom do I know if what I have written actually worked. Did the circumstance I describe happen or was it perhaps that my customer(s) were last or near last to interview. I guess I will never know. Nevertheless, I continue to try.

What is it that makes one public speaker more impacting than another? Hey, there are several 6^th grade teachers. Why is it some excel and others do not? Their lesson plans are identical; their schools the same, their class IQs equal; what then makes the difference?

If not the content, what then makes the difference?

When our political decision makers assess how students are doing in school, they foster a direct coloration between results and those whose task it is to promote them. It generally falls as the responsibility of teachers to teach in ways that elevate student progress. Most teachers emanate from similar collegiate accomplishments; they teach varying grades but do so with the best interests of their students in mind. So why then do some classes do better and others fall short?    

I can certainly understand that teachers after preaching the same subject repeatedly may become somewhat complacent. In addition, such complacency may result in lessening enthusiasm. Then there are teachers who remain engaged irrespective of the content of their teachings. After all, teachers are humans too.

Why is it Wayne Dyer, PhD captivates his audiences over-and-over. He does not appear to me as particularly flamboyant. However, he does sound engaged, actually believing that which he professes. His enthusiasm rings true with every word, every statement and every message. Even non-believers become interested if only to criticize it later. He owns that quality to leave a lasting impression.

While attending High School, in the year 19??, I had a biology teacher that, at least for me, was so engaging that I never had to study for his exams and I aced them all. Every word and every thought engrained in my mind. Given that, I had no interest in biology before or since; it is amazing that I aced his class based solely on his ability to induce my memory sensors like no other teacher before or after. It is the same phenomenon I experience when listening the Dr Dyer, and a few others. For the most part, such impressionable speakers are rare. I suspect that is true for most of us.   

My friends, the interview is no different. Unless you are the lone candidate in an emergency hiring situation, the chances you will get a job on the spot is remote, to say the least. Someone or a few will have to remember your interview and what is worse, they will have to remember it after interviewing any number of others after you.

This is why I preach role-playing repeatedly. Planning your interview script and following it as if a part in a three times daily performance, play. After all, one might equate the offer of employment as your trophy.

In today’s volatile and highly competitive jobs environment you must be at the top of your game.

My message is clear…

“If you have never properly acted before, get an acting coach; if you have never properly interviewed, get an interview coach. In both cases, your future depends upon it.”

Do not try to be more than you are; do not try to wear another’s shoes; be proud of those that fit you best, your own!

Editorial by Arnie Sherr, The Resume Store February 19, 2012 - 7:00 a.m.

It seems at least from my interviews with potential customers, they feel they must perform better and more perfectly than all other candidates must in order to get the offer of employment. No wonder they are overtly nervous at interviews. The perception that only a perfect interview wins is a misnomer. Factually, interviewing under that perception most assuredly sets a path for failure.  

The facts are clear; "Nobody is everything to everyone or everything."

The most anyone can ask of themselves is to be the best they can be, not better than other candidates, especially because they do not know the others who seek to win the same offer. Although in many ways interviewing is a lot like a political election campaign, the main difference is that campaign candidates know their competition. Because they know with whom they compete, they have the opportunity to set strategies to be a better and more effective campaigner.

Interviews, because the competition is unknown to the candidate requires candidates to “be the best they can be.” Trying to be more than that which comes naturally is obvious to learned interviewers and is detrimental.

You need only be a strong candidate because "Nobody is everything to everyone or everything." Please, never loose that thought!

Assess and be confident of your value to a potential employer. Be humble, confident and most of all, self-assured. If you are all of those qualities, your chances of getting the offer of employment are as good as or better than most.

What many candidates do not realize is that there are other factors at play, the likes of which they have absolutely no control. One such factor is a chemistry established between the candidate and the interviewer.  Most times, a chemistry of this nature has little to do with resume content or even the interview; it is generally a feeling cemented through magnetic personality connections. Not much different than when meeting someone in social situations; you know there is a definite connection, but cannot put your finger on why.

In the entertainment industry trying to be more than you are, is “over-acting.” In sales, it is over-selling and since interviewing is a selling process, trying to hard is “over-selling.”  You can bet your future, interviewer’s spot over-acting and over-selling in a heartbeat.

To have a great interview, do not think about winning the game; play each point within yourself.

“Do not try to be more than you are; do not try to wear another’s shoes; be proud of those that fit you best, your own!” - Arnie Sherr

 

 

 

Cover Letters that get results address the real reasons with which employers make hiring decisions

ARNIE SHERR, PRESIDENT AND CEO - THE RESUME STORE DECEMBER 25, 2011

From About.com

Effective cover letters explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identify your most relevant skills or experiences (remember, relevance is determined by the employer's self-interest). They should express a high level of interest and knowledge about the position. READ MORE

6. Identify your most relevant skills and experiences. Don't just duplicate your resume. Rather, include the skills that most match the job. READ MORE

From eHow.com/money

Each cover letter must be written for a specific employer. You can recycle some of the text for cover letters within the same industry, but each letter should contain a reference to a specific detail about the employer or company. You should research important business or technological trends within your industry, significant recent transactions, hiring trends and popular terms, phrases and subject matter.

Learn all you can about the history of any company to which you apply. Identify its major clients, review any important recent transactions, and study its hiring trends and employment needs. The more you know about an industry and a particular company, the more effective your cover letter will be. READ MORE

Above are two of many misguided answers to what message cover letters should tell!

The facts are abundantly clear; employers do not make hiring decisions based on resume content. From them they make only interview decisions. Albeit there are rigorous rules and guidelines for writing resumes, rules that although content is important are restricted to formatting and relevance. However important is resume content, the word relevance is paramount.

To be succinct, resumes are brag sheets. Perhaps that is why it is challenging to write one’s own resume. Most people own varying degrees of humility; therefore, telling others how great they are may be an uncomfortable position. Most fear being though of as arrogant or egotistical, two disparaging human characteristics, at best. Since employers have no viable way of discerning how well applicants perform that to which is written to resumes, they look to identify other means of determining those attributes and characteristics that by there very nature, resumes fail in exhibit. Such attributes and characteristics provide insight into personal credibility, integrity, believability, competence, confidence and more. Such characteristics and attributes become apparent from the manners in which candidates participate within the interview process.

An example may be the interview performance of a candidate vying for a sales management position. To understand the following, it is important to know that of the best salespersons, in order to make sales, the single most important attribute is the ability to control the sales process. That said; the best way to reinforce this single most important resume declaration is to take control of the interview process. If such candidates successfully demonstrate this important selling attribute through their actions at interviews, it makes sense that interviewers tend to believe that all or most other resume declarations are credible and accurate. Such demonstrations solidify other such resume ‘bragging’ points in addition to ‘control’ and succeeds remarkably in increasing job offer probabilities which, brings me back to the original purpose of this writing, “the real reasons with which employers make hiring decisions and how that relates to cover letters.”

The two excerpts about cover letters from About.com and eHow.com/money above, exemplify that which most, if not all, job seekers send along with their resumes to demonstrate interest in respective job postings. It is akin to every applicant showing up for interviews following identical cover letters and resumes as well as wearing the exact same outfits, color and all. Essentially, there is nothing to raise one above the other. How challenging a hiring decision is this to make? WOW, which of these five identical candidates’ best meets our needs? Perhaps we may toss a coin!

In advertising, a media in which the objective is to promote one thing over another, there are two objectives proved most effective as memory inducers, unique and obnoxious. Certainly, it is agreed that obnoxious in the job search is counterproductive; however, unique works as well in the job search as it has historically in advertising. Who among us does not recall, “Where the Beef” or “This Bud’s for You?” Considering the aforementioned, what within your cover letter depicts you as unique and clever, a step or so above the competition, so to suggest? Certainly expounding upon resume content, no matter how relevant to the posting, places you not ahead of the pack, but well within its mediocrity.

What has proved successful for The Resume Store’s customers are cover letters that allude to those attributes and characteristics that interviewers dig deep to ascertain. The kinds of information with which they may consider as demonstrated evidence that particular candidates are, with a high degree of certainty, more qualified than others interviewed; that indeed, their ‘brag’ sheets are true to a fault.

Just as in the advertising arena, cover letters, which are synonymous to print, radio, TV, or internet ads, must create a call to action. Just as, it is hoped, that print, radio, TV, or internet ads induce calls of inquiry or better yet, visits to the advertiser’s place of business to properly investigate the subject of the ad, cover letters must also create a call to action. For cover letters, such calls to action begin with directing them to accompanying resumes after which they engage respective applicants in phone interviews, or invite them to attend mutually convenient in-person interviews. I am beleaguered to understand how repeating or expounding upon "resume content" does anything more than accentuate boasting or bragging. Furthermore, it is redundant.

The following are excerpts of actual cover letters that have proved effective in successfully genererating interviews :

Please note: Passion, a vigorous kind of enthusiasm felt deep within, is not easy to explain or define. For me it is an indefinable phenomenon; one that propels in directions that seem motivated by forces beyond my control. Many support my assertion that passion drives faster and farther than simply knowledge and experience. Merge all three and success is inevitable.

Coming from an entrepreneurial background, I offer remarkably unique attributes, the kind of attributes that grow and reinforce self-ruling passion driven achievement beyond personal expectations.    

_______________________________

Please note: Florence Nightingale said, “I stand at the altar of the murdered men, and, while I live, I fight their cause.”

Few career choices offer employment potential and security as does nursing. With the onset of the baby boomers, the demand for qualified nurses is certain to limit nursing resources needed to serve the US Military at home and abroad. As a career-nursing professional, I am enthusiastic at the prospect of providing exemplary healthcare to DOD (Department of Defense) beneficiaries at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Feeling strongly about serving Americas’ military, I too continue, as a dedicated nurse professional, “to fight their cause.”

____________________________________

The quote that headlines this Cover Letter

“There are no traffic jams along the extra mile”
ROGER STAUBACH

Please note: Peter Drucker (1909-2005) who known as the father of modern management said, “Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it; it is what the client or customer gets out of it.”

I think what I have come to love about retail is how easily customers can be satisfied. Yet, many leave feeling mistreated or neglected by retail staff that fail to grasp the importance of excellent customer service, regardless of how focused or unfocused management is with respect to training store staff on ensuring positive shopping experiences for Gap Customers.  As a Gap, Inc. retail troubleshooter, many of the challenges I face emanate from issues related to customer service. Working with management teams, we come together to set forth strategies that remove perceived traffic jams and detours, etc. Since April 2004, I along with many Gap managers have proven that going that extra mile provides avenues to growth, prosperity and advancement.

Ask others to read your cover letter. Does it create an emotion response? Does it create a call to action? If not, then others whose cover letters do are passing you by.

In order for The Resume Store’s experienced writers to create highly motivating cover letters, a 45-minute to 1- hour consultation is required. Our in-person, by Webcam or over the phone consults, allow us to derive that which we need to know to put our creative juices to work writing cover letters that create a call to action.

Of course, there are those that disagree with our methods. Among them are, surprisingly, a minority of human resource personnel.  That said; when our cover letters come before their eyes, they driven as are most others, to action.

If you are happy with your present resume, we are available to discuss your cover letter independently. You may contact us via our website: www.TheResumeStore.info

Posted by The Resume Store at 12/25/2011 6:36 AM
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: COVER LETTERS

Lori Pritchard asked, "When trying to create positive change, it often involves getting rid of things or people in your life who are causing more harm than good. What problem(s) you have experienced in breaking negative ties?"

About Lori Pritchard, PhD Candidate

Arnie Sherr wrote: Two words within your question are not part of my vocabulary, “problem” and “negative.” The word "negative" is perceptive at best. What is “negative” for one may be another’s positive. In determining if something or someone presents an unfavorable circumstance, it is important to assess one’s own contribution to that which we deem as “negative.”  I think a better description of such situations, relationships, or circumstance falls under the umbrella of compatibles or in the case of your question, incompatibles.

Separating one’s self from incompatibles is easily prosecuted and generally requires no explanation; that is, unless an explanation is requested. For example, if found in an employment situation for which the employee receives little or no appreciation, value or satisfaction; resignation may be in order. Crying foul and criticizing a previous employer is unjustified regardless of sour grape perceptions because, 1) serves no personal or professional purpose, and 2) such hostilities generally arise when situations are essentially incompatible. One person’s incompatibility may be another’s compatibility.       

 Breaking incompatible relationships offer other considerations, especially for those who embrace sensitivity. For people who are not sensitive to the needs of others, breaking “negative” ties is generally a mechanical process. If goodbyes in whatever form are tendered by insensitive people, and many times the absence of goodbyes is replaced by unexplained disappearance; they may be structured as “you can do better” or “I am not worthy of you”, patronizing reasons for escaping – coward/dishonest.

In all scenarios, whether breaking ties is easy or challenging, or is directly related to how one participated in the relationship. It matters not if the relationship is between two or more persons, an employer, or any group in which there are personal or professional ties. If one participated with integrity, sensitivity and sincerity, then viewing the breakaway as mere incompatibility is logical. On the contrary, if one participated in the relationship dishonestly, breaking away involves a series of challenges that include accepting responsibility for hurting someone or something; bearing the guilt and ramifications that may result. It is in these cases that those initiating the breaking of ties generally try to avoid guilt by deferring blame by telling the entity or person that, in whatever form, they are not worthy of the entities’ or person’s relationship.

Then there is the issue of “positive” change. Change is of the most unsettling mental weights. Most humans find change difficult to decide and if having made the decision, even more difficult to expedite. Often times, after change(s) has occurred, the “changer” regrets having done so. Therefore, I advise my clients when considering changing jobs or career paths to dig deep into the research aspect before acting upon what may be impulsive motivations. Most times reason for change relates to perceptions of “stress.” Once I make the point that there is no stress, only stressful thoughts, the conversation changes to “What can I do view things differently? Wayne Dyer PhD said, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Ergo, if the relationship or situation appears “negative” or incompatible, is it really?  One person’s negative may be another’s positive.

Since it my experience that most make changes impulsively, my best advice is to slow the process and rethink the situation when emotions are uninvolved. Emotions distort reality; therefore, many find that what feels right when upset, hurt, angry or otherwise, is much less troubling after emotions have quelled.

But then, there is another side to the “change” coin.

“Why Change is so Hard”

Managing Change - Why Change is so Hard and What to Do about It

By Jack Zavada

Change is hard—so hard, in fact, that most of us avoid it at all costs.

By avoiding change, we create even bigger problems, such as lost opportunities, broken relationships, or sometimes a wasted life. Millions of people who need to change are drifting along with no real purpose, no joy, feeling as if they are traveling a dead end street.

I can relate. I have had to make some major changes in my life, and each time they were painful. I usually fought those changes until I reached my misery threshold, then I reluctantly did something rash to escape the bad situation. READ MORE

This is more reason to rethink and rethink; to be sure, it is not enough to merely want change, it must be right. Making change decisions are difficult and disconcerting whether right or wrong; however, wrong change decisions are doubly or more hurtful to all concerned. Therefore, being certain and second-guessing what appears as certainty is in order.

 

 

 

Keeping a Career Journal by Arnie Sherr

Here is a common at-work scenario. As Susan peruses her companies’ open opportunity postings, she comes across a vacancy at her store. “What d’ya know, they need an assistant store manager right here in my store.”

“So what is next; what do I do? I’d really like to apply and get that promotion.”   

Here is Sue’s challenge. She, like most, has not a clue as to how to go about applying for a promotion. Most think all they must do is ask their immediate supervisor or store manager to set up an interview with Human Resources, the District Manager or whomever.

Suppose one of those Sue asked, actually did set up an interview. What then? Sue is not alone in thinking that because she already works for the company and that they have her impressive employment record and her manager’s endorsement, it is a given. NOT!

Allow me to recant. There is always a slim chance for pre-selection; however, since Sue has no guarantee of getting the promotion she must approach this interview in exactly the same manner as she would a new job. Having said that, because Sue has a strong employment history with her employer, there are things she may do to improve her chances.

I wrote the previous scenario simply to make the point that had Sue, a career minded and dedicated employee, kept a Career Journal, improving her chances is a mute point.

Since Sue is, a career minded employee and because she understood the importance of being prepared, she made a habit of recording her workplace performance for this and the few jobs that preceded her present employment. Because she did, it is highly probable she is much more prepared than her competition.

Here are the kinds of records Sue kept in her Career Journal.

• Accomplishments over and above that include formal accommodations and those absent of physical or verbal, pats on the back. 
• Record of attendance, illustrating reasons for sick days and miscellaneous call-outs
• “Following” – a detailed list of repeat customers, accounts, clients, patients, etc. with whom she has developed exceptional rapport and loyalty
• Items and happenstance that demonstrate her participation in activities that help grow and sustain company morale (I.e., Workplace Environment Committee, Customer Appreciation Committee, etc.)   
• Took part in honoring other employees that made over and above accomplishments and achievement

Sue kept detailed records that proved her dedication, loyalty, abilities to work with and get along with subordinates, peers and superiors.

The impression Sue made by keeping and presenting her Career Journal had a much greater impact than its content. Moreover, the fact that she was organized and methodical enough to assemble her impressive Career Journal was what earned her the promotion; its content took second place.     

Main Street is fighting back; Bank of America, Sun Trust, Wells Fargo, Regions and JPMorgan, batten down your hatches, put up your dukes. The American People have had enough! by Arnie Sherr

Main Street is fighting back; Bank of America, Sun Trust, Wells Fargo, Regions and JPMorgan, batten down your hatches, put up your dukes. The American People have had enough!

Arnie Sherr September 30, 2011

Today CNN and The New York Times reported that Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Sun Trust, Regions and JPMorgan have committed to continue their unfair profit-bearing agenda to add to their bottom lines by raping the wallets of the hands that feed them by charging us monthly fees for using our debit cards.

Factually, America’s banks feel empowered to act as they wish without regard to the very people who made them what they are today. There are many ways, in which banks earn money. One, a very significant source of revenue is the millions of middle class deposits that create cash flows that enable banks to lend our monies at interest. Notwithstanding other methods, it was ‘runs-on-banks’ that closed some and nearly obliterated others during The Great Depression. It was an economic lesson that America’s banks seem to have forgotten.

True it is that we are not at an economic point where panic that will cause runs on banks; however, choosing to run collectively on the leader of this middle class raping, Bank of America, will tell the other banks that We the People are fed up with their selfish and greedy activities. I define them as treasonous acts against the American way of life, such as it is at present.   

It seems the Congress; in its purist of ways to control the banks unfair practices, has naively left doors open for them to navigate alternate routes.   In the end, Congress has once against demonstrated its lack of power. However, in spite of Congress’s ineffectiveness, there is a solution. That power is the ultimate sledgehammer.  The sledgehammer to which I refer has within it, the weight and power of the American people. You see, collective we have the power to close a bank or banks of our choosing.

To voice our objections, all we must do is line up at teller windows and ATMs and withdraw our monies, all of it until they concede; and I assure you they will, faster than they can say “help.”

It seems they feel so powerful that they have forgotten how strong and resilient The American People are.  

Last month I opened an account at PNC Bank and am in the process of closing both my personal and business accounts at Wells Fargo. They too are testing this egregious tactic in five states; Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada, Georgia and Washington. In addition, Wells Fargo has ignored the very meaning of “overdraft protection” and has taken to charging one-half the normal fee for insufficient funds, or $12.50. Certainly, any charge at all is not “protection” in any sense of the word. 

America, I urge you to rush to your bank if it is one the banks engaging in this debit card attack against our right to fair and equitable treatment. Withdraw your monies and close your accounts, all of them; savings, checking, money markets, etc. Close all accounts that won’t incur a penalty. This is the only way in which we may demonstrate our dissatisfaction and send the strongest of messages that We the People are America and we can, at will, place them and any company or corporation into the hands of the Bankruptcy Courts; banks in the hands of the Fed.    

VISIT YOUR NEAREST BANK OF AMERICA ($5.00), WELLS FARGO ($3.00), SUN TRUST ($5.00), REGIONS ($4.00) AND JPMORGAN ($3.00) BRANCHES AND TAKE IT OUT NOW.

IF ENOUGH OF US ACT RIGHT NOW, THE REST OF THE BANKS CONSIDERING THIS ATTEMPT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE, ONCE AGAIN, OF THE MIDDLE CLASS, WILL REFRAIN.

THEIR NEXT MOVE IS TO DO AWAY WITH FREE CHECKING

CONGRESS IS POWERLESS; THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE NOT!

ACT NOW!

Negotiating high ticket sales (Theory only)

By Arnie Sherr, July 20, 2011

Rule #1: “Everyone that enters a place of business enters with the purpose of making a purchase or purchases; no ands, ifs, or buts.”

If your thinking is anything other than the above, you should be doing something else. If you are in complete agreement with the above, then it is time we move on to the theorem of and not the systematic procedural recipe for negotiating sales.

Be clear on one psychological characteristic; customers after making a negotiable purchase never tell another they were “sold.” Moreover, they will say they “bought.”  If they leave after signing the bottom line feeling as though they were “sold,” one of two things is certain to occur: 1) they will cancel or 2) the salesperson made little if any appreciable commission and quite possibly the result may be a cancellation as well.

Therefore, if a prospect departs without having made a purchase, presenting the excuse “they were just looking” or “were shopping around” is mythical.  If you really believe this, once again I suggest you seek another line of work.

There are several important steps within the process of negotiating a price driven sale; however, they are a subject of a different writing. This writing is to understand why customers choose to sign on the bottom line.  

Most declare price as the main reason for signing the bottom line or as in some cases the size of a payment. Although price is a strong motivator, it is never the ultimate reason for a successful purchase.

When a prospect enters a place of business to enter into what they understand is a negotiable process, they carry mental perceptions of distrust and/or accelerated tension. Most know the salesperson with whom the will negotiate has much more experience parleying price than do they. After all, such salespersons do so many times a week or month; they become somewhat proficient at manipulating the result. Few, irrespective of how confident they seem, are anything other than skeptical of the unknown, the artisan that is capable of engineering a big profit for themselves and the company, leaving the customer with the short end of the stick. If you, once again, believe anything other than this, you should investigate other career choices.  

Whether or not the salesperson is experienced negotiating sales, maintaining control is imperative. When the customer controls everyone looses, the salesperson, the customer and the company. Even if the company chose to meet the customer’s demands, the salesperson will have made little if any commission, and the company little or no profit. Generally, when companies do exceed to such offers, they do so for reasons other than immediate financial gratification such as relieving excess inventory or perhaps the item is question is taking up space better allocated to something else. If the salesperson is unable or lacks the potential to maintain control, they should be; well, you know the rest. 

Where “control” is concerned, please note that without the ability to build trust and rapport (interpersonal skills) the salesperson may as well turn this particular customer over to another salesperson. All too often a particular salesperson encounters a personality with whom establishing rapport and trust seems unlikely. Rather than sacrificing a potential sale because of “ego,” introducing such a prospect to another salesperson most times salvages the effort successfully. A split commission is better than the alternative.  

Without rapport and trust, the salesperson has no viable ability to turn the prospect’s tension/fear into desire. As I suggested above,” When a prospect enters a place of business to enter into what they understand is a negotiable process, they carry mental perceptions of distrust.” Such mental perceptions, although common, are reversible. Moreover, without having created within prospects a keen sense of desire, successful sales are impossibilities. 

Speaking of “desire”, desire is more than how bad the prospect wants the product in question, it is how much he or she likes and trusts the salesperson and likes and trusts the company. If after all things, including price are resolved and the salesperson asks, “How do you want to make payment, cash or check,” or “When do you want take delivery, now or is tonight better,” the answer is assumed to the affirmative.   

To summarize, many steps if adhered to enable the accomplishment of the theory of negotiating sales to desired ends. They include…

1. Greeting and Warm-up
2. Qualifying Process
3. Selection and Presentation
4. Negotiating Price and Terms
5. Handling Objections
6. The Close

These and other factors related to specific industries may be accessed by reading books such as Zig Ziglar’s “Closing the Sale” and related publications available on-line or at local book stores. 

 

Employment is flat; experts say growth is the solution.

Editorial by Arnie Sherr, July 9, 2011

Is it such a big secret? Unemployment is flat and you do not understand why! Well, it is relatively simple.

Most will suggest companies are not hiring; others, gas is too expensive, and yet still others will say, “You know what, I don’t give a $#%&T!” Well, if you ask me it is none of those things. Nope, not even the debt ceiling; well, not directly, anyway.  

Let me ask you a question, what happens on Wall Street when investors feel enthused? Does the market fall or does it grow? Investors react positively to good news and negatively to bad news. Make sense? And, what kinds of news causes their frequent ups and downs? 

Here is one for sure; the closer it gets to August 2^nd without a debt limit agreement, the probability that global markets will experience severe downturns is all but guaranteed. Conversely, the sooner they come to an agreement, irrespective if the content of said agreement, the markets will rally.  In other words, good begets good and bad; oh’ well, you know what I mean.

On a comparative basis, when good things happen, the American people react positively and conversely when bad things happen, they react negatively. It is not so much about the substance of the happening as it about the nature of the happening. Golly gee, it sounds exactly like Wall Street. 

Well my friends, it is; it is exactly like Wall Street. Only to define this in a single word, I suggest the only word that fundamentally fits is ““confidence”.”

When the American people and the investors on Wall Street feel good they spend, invest or whatever synonyms you wish to apply. And, what happens when confident people spend? They buy stuff. And, what happens when the sales of stuff increases? Ah, the companies that manufacture and/or distribute all of the stuff that confident consumers are buying must increase the size of their workforces to meet the growing demand. Is not that what the stimulus package did? Yes, but it was not “confidence” that drove consumer spending, it was a government handout.  Therefore, what happened when the government gifts were spent, saved or pigeonholed for a rainy day or whatever, the temporary demand for goods and services went south. Americans will, of course, take hand-outs; however, what we really want is a permanent solution. Might that be solution be as simple as growth. Growth is not a product of spending cuts, not a product of tax breaks or increases; growth is that which results as revenue from employment. Working people pay federal income tax, state and local taxes, real estate and school taxes and more. Working people fund social security for today's recipients and Medicare; they donate to charities, use public transportation and drive the economy by spending that which they earn. This is Growth. This is the only way in which America can pay its debts. This is the only way America can balance its budget. It is all about revenue or cash flow.    

Stimulus funds, like “confidence” are only effective if they continue. However, with America’s record debt and a difficult to balance budget, continuing stimulus handouts is totally off the table. But “confidence”; well, in reality “confidence” is free. You cannot buy or sell “confidence.” You may, however, give it to everyone. Just as easily as it is given, it may be withdrawn. But, why would anyone want to take away the fuel that is certain to drive us out of our economic dilemma by fueling growth? Beats me, so why don’t we ask the people that have the power to give the gift of “confidence”? There are 535 of them and they live on the Hill. They and only they have the power to give unlimited “confidence” to the American people. And while they are at it, why stop there, they can just as well give it people all around the world. After all, what happens here doesn’t stay here, it resonates all around the world, hurting or healing just like on Wall Street.

I am going to stop here because I know my readers understand what the “535” must do to restore and maintain ““confidence”.” However, if you would like to express your ideas, you may do so by commenting below. I would love to hear your thoughts. So would you local Congress-persons and Senators. While you are at it, tell them too. Here is how to contact yours. CLICK HERE 

“Looking for the right Resume Service?”

By Arnie Sherr, CEO and President of The Resume Store

Ninety-five percent of those that contact The Resume Store for information regarding resumes are in search of new or better jobs. They are, for the most part, un, under or unhappily employed.

In preparation for this writing, I perused the Internet, reading the instructions of a multitude of “so called” experts. Most deliver excellent advice when describing best ways to write letters and resumes. However, it is ironic how so many of these “so called” experts lose the respect of their readers after demonstrating inferior writing skills, poor grammar, punctuation, choice of words and sentence structure. It seems logical that if I am trying to advise others, promote myself and my company with the written word, that the task of “writing” something, anything at all, must be done with proper grammar, punctuation and the use of and the correct spelling of words and phrases. A stark demonstration of such an irony might be that within this essay I speled a feu wrods wrung.

I hope that which has taken up the first two paragraphs, emphasizes how important it is that every word, every sentence, every thought, every comma, quotation mark, period, etc.; and the dotting every “i” be by the proverbial “book.”

Even the least skilled of “writers” notices easily the mistakes of others. I.e., a word does not look right or this sentence makes no sense – better reread it; “you know what I mean.” Therefore, you tell me, when casually coming across such mistakes when reading the writings of another, does the content loose credibility. Do you question the author’s knowledge or advice, as the case may be? Imagine for just a millisecond, what must the person reading your cover letter and resume be thinking about your credibility should just one word be misspelled? Let us not forget that most, if not all resumes include this declaration, “excellent written and verbal communication skills.” Is this not a “contradiction in terms”? This single “contradiction in terms” or mistake is all it takes to derail your hopes, dreams and aspirations.

If you are sitting by the phone hour after hour tolerating the interminable silence of the ring-tone, might you be thinking that your resume has not reached the eyes of hiring authorities. Or perhaps, you feel the silence is because no one is hiring in your position or that these confounded Internet jobs sites are frauds. Perhaps, just perhaps the reasons for your telephone’s paralysis may have more to do with the quality of your cover letter and resume than other rationalizations. Is that possible; I had ten friends read and reread my cover and resume, they found no mistakes. Or, I hired a resume service; I took it for granted they knew what they were doing 

I am not suggesting your documents have spelling errors, etc.; however, there are many other cover letter and resume characteristics to consider such as formatting, content and more.

It is important to ask the right questions, consult in-person and do so with more than one resume service. Check with the BBB; ask if they are members of professional resume associations and if so, check with those organizations. Are they full time businesses dedicated only to products and services inherent of resume services?  What is the owner’s educational background and especially of the writers assigned to your documents, if applicable. In what industries or career designations do particular resume services specialize? Most important, inquire as to the methodology applied and why it earns interviews.

These are important questions because the people that write resume are in essence ghostwriters. As such, you are the expert. Although it is wise to heed the advice of experienced resume writers, the resume in the end must represent or “be” you. It is extremely important that when you arrive at the interview, it is you they expect and not someone else.

To summarize, only you can determine whether you are comfortable with the content of both your new cover letter and resume. It is the resume writer’s responsibility to accomplish that objective.

With respect to price, paying $1.00 for an inferior cover letter and resume is a dollar wasted if the cover letter and resume purchased fails to achieve expectations. It is synonymous to an employer hiring an unqualified applicant simply because they are willing to work for less.

Although price is an important consideration with respect to affordability, results supersede the amount of the investment. First, choose a resume service you feel will meet your expectations and then take whatever steps you must to meet the required investment. In the end, “you get only that for which you are willing what you pay.”           

 

Birth of the $49 Dollar Résumé

By Arnie Sherr, President and CEO of “The Résumé Store”

It is once again a pity to know that among the millions that wake very morning without somewhere productive to go must be confronted with fraudulent attempts to get into their wallets and pocketbooks for what appears as offers to good to refuse.  

I have been in the résumé services industry for more than sixteen years and only recently have I witnessed the emergence of the under $50 résumé. Many have broken legitimate price barriers; however, they remained at monetary levels that made some modicum sense with respect to the time required to produce a quality document. Having declared that unfortunate fact, there is an appreciable number among the millions of unemployed that are simply strapped. They believe a résumé any cost is a kind of blessing. Certainly, all that have experienced the rigors of being without jobs understands how such interpretations become reality. 

I venture to say, that some whose struggles or unscrupulous desires for money may give birth to leveraging what they feel is adequate writing skills by promoting the inexpensive or $49 dollar, or thereabouts, résumé. However, my well-founded concern is that at the end of the day, “that which is received for a pittance is worth little more that its meager fee.” and produces meager of any result at all. Ergo, that which we intended as an investment has transformed into a wasted expense filled with thwarted hopes and dreams.

However important is the résumé, the current path to employment involves so much more. In the advertising world, cover letters and résumés are tools that if properly designed serve to develop an emotional response among its targeted audience. Synonyms for the word “advertise” are promote, publicize, market and present. Do not these words of action properly describe the purpose of a résumé? Is not the résumé’s job to promote, publicize, market and present you as a viable prospect for a desired career posting? If writing résumés in anyway other than with a strong knowledge of the basic principles of advertising, then I submit respectfully, that those who purport themselves résumé writing professionals may want to re-examine their qualifications. Expert formatting and knowledge of keywords are in themselves not sufficient to incite of résumé readers a strong desire to meet the applicant so adeptly promoted, publicized, marketed and presented.

Certainly, proper formatting and keywords create “hits” when inserting résumés within document scanners and/or when implementing 5 to 10 second visual scans. However, in both scenarios human eyes hope to feel that emotional sensation that creates the desired call-to-action (the job seekers ultimate goal), an invitation to interview.   

Then there are the “frills.”

In my interpretation, there is a major distinction between a résumé writer and a résumé service or servitor.

Service is “work done for the customers of a store, restaurant, hotel, or similar establishment, often with regard to whether it pleases them or not.”  

Servitor is “a person who serves another; servant or attendant”

Concerning the definition of “service,” the entities to which it refers involve a variety of consumer expectations; how customers are treated, condition of items inherent (rooms in a hotel, etc.), environment, and other amenities.  

The “servitor” is the individual who performs whatever is necessary to deliver adequate and/or promised levels of “service.” In other words, service is so much more than anticipated quality or effectiveness of a product. In essence, “service” at proper levels is what brings customers, clients, patients and such back; repeat business.

The Resume Store is a “resume service,” because its business plan involves are vast scope of products and services related to the job search. In addition to cover letters and resumes, we design Professional Marking Presentation folders and brochures (Our PMP brand), networking cards, thank you cards and letters, and professional bios; Web-folios (Internet Resumes – websites), KSAs for government employment, bios for professional networking sites like LinkedIn, interview coaching, delivery of all written products on a professionally designed and packaged CD for safekeeping. In addition, we accommodate a variety of miscellaneous and special requests.   

When examining, so called, $49 or thereabout résumé sites, they have one thing in common; they offer no services other than to write a résumé the quality of which, without proper evidence of reputation and credibility I, and I hope all are skeptical.  

The Internet is a valued and wonderful phenomenon, yet among its wonders are dangers; traps that opportune identity thieves, tools that for the young offer avenues with which to ruin reputations forever, unobstructed opportunity view and engage in illegal and unhealthy practices and so much more. It offers the greedy and immoral routes to defraud the unsuspecting, naive and vulnerable. Such propensities are highlighted over-and-over by news pundits and Internet experts. Written to books and preached by teachers and clergy, large numbers continue being victims of such deceptive and fraudulent traps.         

Moreover, “if something appears too good to be true, it probably is.”

I do not suggest every great offering or perceived value is illegitimate. I simply suggest that treading lightly and investigating are prudent habits to foster. Do not fall victim to vulnerabilities and temptation; unveil your strengths and put them to work.