As the holidays are approaching, one of my non-so favorite
tasks is to clean up my mailbox. In an effort to be courteous, I review all the
CV’s that I have received in the course of last month and send an answer. It got
me wondering as to why I have taken the decision to meet some people although I
do not have a matching assignment and why others just receive a standard
e-mail.
The answer is quite simple: you stood out!
So I decided to dedicate my last blog before the holidays to
3 tips that should help you to stand out and get that meeting.
First of all, personalize your message.
I enjoy being addressed with my name and having the feeling
that you researched me. This may sound arrogant but why would I spend time on
reviewing your CV if the mail goes to ‘undisclosed recipients’ and often does
not even contain a salutation.
Secondly, pitch it!
You are far more likely to catch my attention if you mention
clearly what you are looking for and what your unique selling points are. Good or bad, but in these digital times, I
want to see, with a blink of an eye, whether your experience and expectations
are relevant to one of my searches.
Rather than spending time on writing an attached motivation
letter, apply the basic principles of marketing and write an elevator pitch
that is concise, concrete and immediately shows what’s in it for me.
Last but not least, surprise me!
In today’s job market, your message will most likely not be
the only one I will receive that day. To stand out, you need to make me curious
about who you are. If someone has referred you, mention it. Most people inform
me up front when they refer someone so mentioning the connection will trigger
my memory. If you contact me after reading the blog, challenge my opinions.
All in all, make me want to meet the person behind the
message. Chances are that once curious (after all, I am a woman and nothing
human is strange to me), I will take the time to see you and be a sounding
board in finding the job of your dreams.
All that remains is wishing a wonderful summer and a
relaxing holiday. I’ll be back on August 18th and I hope to have you
as one of my readers again.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Isabel
Through a
personalized and tailor-made approach, Ingenium Executive Search aspires to
assist you in attracting the right talent that matches the DNA of your company
Check out our
website http://www.ingenium-search.be
Follow me on
Twitter @IngeniumSearch
