Frontline Perspectives

We’re in the process of hiring right now, which means I’m spending a fair amount of time reviewing resumes. I’m continually amazed that the majority of people don’t include a cover letter with their resume. And those who do include one have serious grammar, spelling and clarity issues. What this means is that the majority (and I mean more than 75%) of these people have either made very little, or a terrible, first impression. And because of that, they’re not going to get to the interview stage.

This review process is very similar to what happens with a new marketing initiative. Whether it’s a direct mail letter, an e-mail, a new banner ad or your trade show booth…you’ll generally have less than 10 seconds to grab someone’s interest and encourage them to move farther down the process. If your copy, visuals or pitch are positive or provocative, they’ll generally look for more information and you’ll get the chance to close a deal. If they have to work too hard to figure out what you do, or if you look (or sound) unprofessional or disreputable….WHY would they look any further?

Don’t assume that because your website has a lot of great content, or because your product is really cool, or your company is well-known, a prospect will spend the time and effort to determine whether you’re the right fit for their needs. It’s your responsibility (and challenge) to take the time and effort to get the details locked down, and continue to tweak them as the market changes. What grabs the attention of decision makers? What moves people to action? Don’t underestimate how important those first impressions are to your program.

P.S. My tips on submitting your resume: It is very important that your resume is neat and well-worded, and that you absolutely do not have ANY spelling or grammar errors. Have three people that you trust and respect read it and check it for you. Spend the 30 minutes it takes to write a good cover letter that is personalized to the company and position you are responding to. Mention something from the company’s website that shows them you took time to do some research on them. Include three accomplishments in your experience that relate to the job responsibilities or requirements in the ad. Proof the letter at least twice. And then, PDF the resume and cover letter, together, and name the document with your full name. Remember, you’re “marketing” yourself, and if you want to close the deal, you’ll need to stand out from the rest….so, make a good first impression.