5

Stand Out from the Crowd by Giving Facts

FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

How would you choose between a dozen applicants who all told you they were dependable, trustworthy, hardworking, and good at the job? What if one offered Facts about her related accomplishments? I’m dependable could become I missed only 3 working days in 5 years. Trustworthiness could be proven by sharing that Although I wasn’t a manager, I was regularly given a key to the store and asked to close up and make nightly deposits. And hardworking could be quantified by saying, I increased sales by 50% in my first 9 months. She would stand out.

Quantifying an accomplishment with details that can be verified turns it into a Fact. No two people will have the exact same Facts, so when you use your quantified accomplishments on applications and résumés, over the phone and Internet, and in interviews, you are showing your uniqueness. If you worry that using them sounds like bragging, think again! It’s not bragging. It’s giving employers the Facts they need to decide that you’re a wise investment. Employers tend to believe that if you’ve done it before you’ll do it again—for them.

We were visiting an employer when his fax machine beeped and spat out three résumés from the local trade school. They were identical, except for the name and address at the top. As he tossed them in the trash, he said, “When will they learn that boiler-plate résumés aren’t helpful, and I don’t have time to interview everyone!” Those applicants could have changed the outcome if they had added unique, quantified accomplishments to their résumés. Not sure you have any unique, relevant accomplishments? We bet you do and we’ll help you find them. For now, let’s take a closer look at how you can transform your selling points into Facts so employers see you can do the job. Here are some examples and how you can verify them:

Offer Proof of Proficiency. I’m a certified nurse’s assistant . . . In my previous job, I was rated “excellent” or “outstanding” in my performance evaluations for team work . . . I have a degree in accounting . . . I’m a licensed builder. Come prepared to show the paperwork that proves it.

Provide a List. I can read, write, and speak fluently in English, Spanish, and French . . . I’m proficient in the entire Microsoft Office Professional Suite, plus Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Flash . . . I can do all basic car repairs, including changing and rotating tires, changing spark plugs, and checking and changing fluids, filters, belts, and batteries. Come prepared to take a test, demonstrate any one of the skills, or provide Credible References who can verify each skill.

Use Numbers or Percentages. I have 4 years’ experience in marketing . . . I supervised 9 staff . . . In my last job, I handled approximately 75 calls an hour with a wait time of less than one minute . . . I decreased returns by more than 15% in 9 months . . . I nearly doubled the number of positive responses within one year . . . I exceeded targets by more than 20% within 2 months of training. Come prepared to show the paperwork that proves it. If you don’t have documentation to prove the numbers, make a conservative guess, and use words like “almost,” “approximately,” “nearly,” and “more than” to ensure your previous employers or customers will agree that your claim sounds accurate if your perspective employer inquires.

Use Comparisons (to an Industry Average, Other Workers, etc.). I graduated in the top 10% of my class . . . I became proficient in QuickBooks in half the time it took others on my team . . . I was Employee of the Month twice last year . . . I have been among the Top 10 Salespeople for 3 years running . . . Our team was #1 or #2 every month for 32 months . . . I completed the trainer’s certificate in 18 months, rather than 2 years. Have either the paperwork or a Credible Reference who can validate these claims.

Notice how each Fact that uses numbers, percentages, or comparisons also provides a time frame. The time frame is important because it tells the employer whether or not to be impressed. For example, increasing sales by 50 percent in the first six months is much more impressive than having done it over six years. Carrying six plates at one time is impressive. Carrying six plates one at a time is not.

Once you have quantified your accomplishments and added a time frame, ask others to read them to make sure they don’t sound too good to be true. If you sound too good to be true, the employer may either think you’re lying or wonder why you’re unemployed and assume the worst. To avoid this problem, adjust how you present the accomplishment. For example, I increased sales by 400% in one year would be more believable, and still impressive, if it were expressed as I increased sales by $280,000 in one year, or I more than doubled sales in my first year.

➵ DID YOU KNOW?

Many employers rely on a combination of what you say, what you do, what you show them, and their gut instinct, rather than actually calling references to check your Facts. So be sure your actions match your words.

Each Fact takes on a slightly different form when used in writing, during cold calls, or during an interview.

In Writing (on Paper or Online). Use brief bulleted statements, rather than full sentences, so employers can see, at a glance, that you have what they need.

• Almost 3 years experience as an Administrative Assistant.

• Very dependable: Missed only 3 days in 4 years.

• Proficient in the current MS Office Professional Suite, QuickBooks, PhotoShop, InDesign, DreamWeaver, Flash, and several Internet search engines and ISPs.

During Cold Calls (Over the Phone or in Person). Keep these Facts short, so you can list three in one breath. This allows you to share all three before giving the employer a chance to screen you out. The employer can always ask additional questions, after agreeing that he needs your skills. It sounds like:

I have almost three years’ office experience, and I’m very proficient on the computer and Internet, plus I’m extremely dependable—on my last job, I missed only three days in four years. Could you use someone with my skills?

During an Interview. As you craft these Facts, remember that you’ll be talking to someone. Make the Facts sound conversational, but keep them brief and to the point. Sharing a Fact often leads to being asked for a more detailed explanation or a story. As with any good answer, be sure to practice sharing your Facts in front of others before the interview. In response to the question, Why should I hire you? it sounds like:

I would say that the three top reasons are . . . (thoughtful pause) that I’m very dependable. In fact, on my last job I missed only three days in four years. It was my dependability and ability to meet deadlines that my last boss seemed to appreciate most. Also, the three years I spent as an administrative assistant in a very busy office taught me good time management, the importance of being organized and always working ahead, and how much fun it is to be a part of a team. Lastly, I’m very good with computers and the Internet. As you can see by my résumé, I know all the programs in the Microsoft Office Professional Suite, as well as QuickBooks and several web-design programs. I’m lucky because I find learning new programs fun and easy. What software do you currently use?

Ending an answer with a question is a great way to direct the employer toward additional selling points you want to mention, create a conversation, show interest, and build a relationship with the interviewer. Remember, when all else is equal, the most common deciding factor is who the interviewer feels most comfortable with.

Since employers have lots of needs, you should have lots of Facts you can use to prove you’d be great at the job. However, only the two or three that are of greatest value to the employer or most difficult to find will become your key message. Create your key message by listing the accomplishments or qualities you want the employer to associate with your name and repeat to others when talking about you—Lilly’s the one who can type 85 words per minute, designed that really creative website, and had that great reference from Mr. Jones . . . Dave’s the guy who landed the $6 million contract and resolved that difficult union negotiation for XYZ company. Memorize your key message so it becomes a natural response to various questions like, Tell me about yourself, or Why should I hire you? Use your key message and all your accomplishments to market yourself throughout your job search, whether using the front door or a side door.

A FRONT DOOR APPROACH: BENDING THE RULES SO YOU GET NOTICED

It’s reasonable to think that following the rules is the most effective way to get hired—but it’s not. Most job seekers follow the rules by going through the front door to submit their application or résumé, then joining the dozens, or hundreds, of other applicants waiting to be contacted for an interview. This is not ideal. However, if you’re going to use the front door, let us give you some tips on how to bend the rules so you can get noticed.

Using Facts will improve your front door job search as you highlight your accomplishments rather than past job descriptions. Employers initially spend less than twenty seconds determining if you can meet their needs, so make it easy for them to find the details they need. Don’t hide those details under a lot of irrelevant or unhelpful information. Here are some tips for how to do this using the front door’s primary marketing tools—résumés and applications.

Résumés. Don’t use the same résumé for every job. Tailor it to the target position or type of work by focusing on that employer’s PADMAN. Listing skills the employer doesn’t need only buries the ones you want her to notice. Use the employer’s terminology throughout the résumé because the initial screen out is often based on a search for keywords and conducted by a computer or a junior clerk. At the top of the page add the heading Summary of Qualifications or Highlight of Experience and list the four to six Facts that will impress that employer most. The list will probably include accomplishments from previous related jobs, any specialized training or related degrees, your years of experience in the field (if impressive), work-related awards (Salesman of the Year), work-related honors (president of an industry association), or civic honors (membership on an important city commission) that demonstrate a positive network. If these are impressive, in less than twenty seconds the employer knows you are a keeper.

When deciding whether to list your education or experience next, ask yourself which will impress your target employer more,

SAMPLE

HIGHLIGHT OF EXPERIENCE

• More than 10 years of progressive management experience in the food manufacturing industry.

• Oversaw the modernization of a 60,000 sq-ft plant to make it more environmentally sound and cost efficient.

• Generated more than $3.5 million in new business for a start-up company in its second year.

• MBA from Stanford University.

• Type 85 wpm with high proficiency in all Microsoft Office programs.

and put it first. Under Education list your most impressive related degrees or training first, even if you completed other degrees or training more recently. You don’t have to date your education, especially if you don’t want to give away your age. You do, however, have to date your work experience. Start with the most recent and work your way back ten years. Any experience more than ten years old is usually considered out-of-date and ignored, so don’t waste the space listing it.

TAKINGA PAGE FROM BUSINESS . . .

Incorporate “teasers” into your résumés, cover letters, and spontaneous letters by sharing a Fact about an accomplishment without telling employers exactly how you did it—Decreased lost or damaged merchandise by 45% in 6 months using an innovative staff participation scheme . . . Increased productivity by 28% during first 18 months by implementing new management techniques. Make them interview (or hire) you to get the details.

If you use the heading Recent Work History or Relevant Work History, employers will know you have additional experience that is not listed. Remember your résumé is a marketing tool, not a record of your work history! For each job, don’t just list the tasks you did. Employers already know that a secretary types and an account manager meets with customers. Tell them what you accomplished or how well you did it by offering Facts—how fast you type, the positive results of your meetings with customers, how many staff you managed, how big the project budget was. They want to know the results of your efforts and if you have the skills to do the job. So highlight the skills your new employer will need, but don’t lie. Your unique accomplishments are enough to make your résumé different from every other applicant’s.

Keep your résumé to one or two pages. If that doesn’t convince an employer to interview you, more won’t. Many employers put long résumés in a “read later” pile, which often never gets read. Keep it short by using bulleted phrases rather than full sentences or paragraphs.

When formatting your résumé, make your name larger than anything else on the page (14- to 16-point type). After all, your résumé is a marketing tool. If you have a second page, create a footer including your name and phone number so employers will know whose résumé the page belongs to if it gets separated. Keep the text at a readable size for older eyes (11- to 12-point). Don’t rely solely on spell check. Have someone else read your résumé for typos, wrong words, missed periods, extra spaces, and so forth. Remember, employers assume your résumé represents your best effort, so if they see silly mistakes, they will assume your work will be even worse.

Lastly, review your résumé for anything that could get you screened out. If you’ve offered information that could concern an employer, such as group or religious affiliations, your age, dangerous hobbies, and the like, remove it. Do you appear fickle or unreliable because you hopped from job to job, or field to field? Do you appear overqualified, underqualified, or as if you should be applying for a different job altogether? If so, use a skills résumé format and tailor it for the specific job you want as described in Chapters 9 and 10. If you are using a skills résumé format, don’t send it to recruiters or headhunters without first talking to them personally. Most receive so many résumés that they only consider chronological résumés that have no screen outs. Skill résumés are more effective with small to midsize companies, and the good news is that more people are getting hired in small to midsize companies than in large companies.¹ If your career took a downward turn in responsibility, or you have unexplained gaps in your work history or education, create a skills résumé to give to employers at the interview, but use a spontaneous letter or other side door to get the interview. In Chapter 16, we’ll show you how to respond to questions about these issues.

Whether using front doors or side doors, every job seeker needs to have a good résumé to give an employer when requested. Just remember that unless your résumé is exceptional, there are better ways to get interviews.

Applications are tools designed by employers to quickly highlight all the reasons they should screen you out. Online applications are the worst because they are initially reviewed by computers, not people. Here are four general tips to reduce screen outs: (1) Use employers’ exact terminology—their keywords; (2) write N/A (not applicable) for illegal questions or those that do not apply to you, rather than leaving them blank; (3) write “negotiable” when asked about salary expectations, so you don’t look too expensive or undervalued; and (4) fill gaps in your work history with independent employment if you’re doing consulting or odd jobs for various “customers,” education (classes or workshops attended, self-study, or private tutoring), or nonpaid work as described in Chapter 9. To stand out from the crowd, answer questions with Facts about your related accomplishments and be sure your key message is obvious.

If you are using an online application, find out the questions ahead of time. Ask others who have completed the application what questions were asked, or if they will keep track of the questions and the allowed word count for you as they complete it—perhaps a friend or family member who is not as concerned about getting hired as they are about helping you. Then create a separate Word document with the questions and your answers before you begin. This will allow you to plan your answers so you can strategically include all the relevant Facts that will get you hired. It will also give you the opportunity to do a spell check, have others review your answers, count the characters (often you are limited to how many words you can use to answer each question), and edit as needed.

Once you are happy with the answers, you can cut and paste the information into the electronic form, saving you time. (Some online applications have a time limit.) If the application does not allow you to cut and paste, you can quickly reenter the information from your copy. Always reread the answers you retype to check for typos. Once you have created a set of answers for one employer, they can be adapted for future online applications and used to help you prepare for your interview.

Lastly, one good aspect of many online applications is that they focus on assessing the skills and knowledge needed for the job, rather than just your past work history. If you have strong transferable skills, it should come through in your answers.

Our best advice regarding applications is to use a side door first so the employer sees you as a person, not a piece of paper. Even for national companies that have a central clearinghouse for applications, the local manager often has some discretion or influence over who is interviewed. In small to midsize companies the manager often has a lot of discretion. Second, do not lie on any application—even if you know telling the truth will get you screened out. It’s a legal document. If you get hired by lying, many companies have a policy that you must be terminated once it’s discovered, even if your manager wants to keep you. If you worry that the truth is getting you screened out, that is one more good reason not to use applications. Market yourself to local, small or midsize companies where you can use a side door to highlight your unique strengths or submit your résumé. Résumés can hide many barriers because you choose the format and are not required to answer questions about criminal convictions, major health issues, being fired, and so on, until you are interviewed.

A SIDE DOOR APPROACH: SPONTANEOUS CONTACT

Side doors are techniques for meeting and impressing the person who can make the final decision, all before you submit your résumé or application . . . and most times, before you even ask for a job. For many positions that you are qualified to do, you can casually meet and talk to the business owner or manager—as a customer, the friend of an employee or associate, a volunteer, a fellow professional in the field or a member of an association, a person doing research, a participant at civic events, or in dozens of other ways. This is especially true for small and midsize companies, and almost always the case in customer-facing businesses. But we must warn you, side doors are not a passive approach. They require a real effort, but that’s why managers like them—they want to hire people who make a real effort. It’s also the reason most job seekers don’t use them. It feels safer to do what everyone else is doing and hope you get lucky—but that isn’t how luck works.

One type of side door that relies heavily on Facts is spontaneous contact. Through this door, you contact employers out of the blue, present your key message, and ask if they can use someone with your unique qualities, attitudes, or skills. Do not ask if they are hiring or have a job opening—the answer to those questions is often no, even if they do have a position available. Why? Because they fear your main concern is getting a paycheck, rather than making them more profitable. A company’s reason for taking on new staff is their belief that it can make them more profitable, if they hire wisely.

➵ DID YOU KNOW?

Saying things like, I’m looking for work, or I’m unemployed and could start immediately, or Can I send my résumé or fill out an application? sounds like your only concern is yourself. To get an interview, replace them with compelling reasons (your key message) to request your résumé, talk with you further, or schedule a meeting.

Spontaneous contacts can be used with companies who are recruiting from the Hidden Market, as well as for jobs listed in the Open Market. As with all side doors, when you use this one in the Open Market, never mention the job advertisement. Instead behave as if you spontaneously decided to ask if you could be a beneficial resource to the employer. This will help you be seen as a talented candidate who wants to join the employer’s team, rather than someone who just needs a job. Focus on presenting yourself as a “resource person,” as suggested in Chapter 14. Here are some examples of spontaneous contact.

Spontaneous Letter. This is a letter you write directly to the decision maker by name, not just title. Briefly share the top four to six reasons you would be an asset—examples of your accomplishments, praise from past employers, or an explanation of why you want to work in this job or this company. Again, do not ask for a job. Instead, end by asking if the employer values these skills and qualities, and believes you would be an asset to the team. Give him your contact information, encourage him to visit your LinkedIn profile or your website to learn more, and let him know when you will follow up if you have not heard back. Keep it to one page. Do not include your résumé. Not including your résumé increases the likelihood that the decision maker will deal with your letter, rather than pass it to HR, where it’s more likely to get screened out.

➵ DID YOU KNOW?

Your LinkedIn profile can serve as an online résumé. Write it so it markets you for the job, then refer to it in your email signature and on spontaneous letters. It’s a great way of saying, “Look at my résumé” without actually sending your résumé.

Rene wanted to respond to a blind job advertisement from a local hospital. Using the information in the ad, she chose accomplishments that proved she could meet the employer’s needs and included them in her letter, without ever mentioning the ad. She highlighted a couple of unique qualities, including her experience with a new machine that many hospitals hoped to get in the future, and her contacts with other specialists in the field. She also encouraged employers to view her LinkedIn profile, which was designed to market her for the job. Because the advertisement was blind, she addressed one letter to the decision maker at each of the three hospitals in her area, and individualized it by explaining why she wanted to join that particular team or what impressed her about that hospital. She ended by requesting a phone meeting to discuss how she could benefit each employer, and mentioned that she would call on Friday if she hadn’t heard back. After she was hired, Rene learned that there were more than three hundred applicants for the job and that her letter landed her a spot on the short list for interviews. Here is another example of a spontaneous letter:

Sample Spontaneous Letter

M&J Property Management
555 South Main Street
Anytown, CA 92708

 

Dear Gordon,

 

I recently visited a property of yours at 4th & Elm, and was impressed by its quality. On further investigation I discovered that M&J has an excellent reputation not only for quality properties, but also for great customer service. I share your belief that praise from customers is the most effective form of marketing, and that paying attention to the little things can make the difference between being average and excellent. Too often, people can’t be bothered with details; however, it’s one of my greatest strengths.

I understand that M&J generally promotes from within, but I am hoping that my unique mix of skills and similar attitudes will persuade you to add me to your team. I recently graduated from the Art Institute in Interior Design; the quality of my work can be viewed at www.perfectplaces.com. Plus, I have a real-world understanding of the property field because I spent years helping my father remodel old homes and sell them. I was responsible for basic bookkeeping, costing-out jobs, negotiating with vendors, obtaining required permits, designing job flow plans, and meeting with customers. I even learned to paint, hang wallpaper, and perform basic repairs to my father’s exacting standards. Most important, I am eager to learn from the best and to be a part of a company that takes pride in its work.

If these are qualities you value, I welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss how I can contribute to your team. I can be reached at 714-555-0986.

Sincerely,

Ima Worker

Spontaneous Emails. These are similar to letters, just shorter, with your selling points bulleted. Again, they are sent directly to the email address of the manager you want to work for, not to HR or a general company inquiry box. Be careful, because in the Open Market spontaneous letters and emails can be redirected to HR by astute secretaries who filter their boss’s mail. This is particularly true if you include your résumé, so don’t!

In the Hidden Market your approach online must be less direct. You want to briefly share the hard-to-find skill, attitude, or quality you offer, and make an inquiry that compels a response, without asking for a job:

Hello, Mr. Howard: I was told that you might help me with some information. For more than ten years I have successfully worked both sides of the counter—technical and sales. As a leader in the field, where do you see our industry still holding its own? Recently, my shop moved offshore. I love this field and hope to stay in it. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Don’t expect a response from every employer, but to the few who do respond, send a thank-you email with a bit more information about your skills. Now the conversation has begun. Every couple of weeks, send a brief update and occasionally request the employer’s opinion in order to keep the conversation going. Don’t give up. Employers are often busy and your emails are not their priority. But your polite persistence can lead to an interview and a job.

Spontaneous Internet Connection. For less accessible decision makers, craft LinkedIn and Twitter profiles that position you as a valuable resource and then invite them to connect. If they accept, review their profile and send a brief and friendly greeting. Do not mention that you are looking for work, and don’t ask for anything. If they reply, continue the online interaction, presenting yourself as a talented, resourceful person who is interested in the decision maker’s work. Be sure every tweet, message, and post shows the qualities, attitudes, skills, knowledge, and connections needed to impress this person. To continue the contact, send another brief, positive message within the next two weeks via LinkedIn, Twitter, or the employer’s blog asking a short question or making a comment regarding one of their posts.

Once a connection is established, you may even suggest a phone conversation to discuss something the decision maker wrote, get her opinion on a question you have, get her take on a blog article you are planning to write or a project you are working on, or discuss possible collaboration on a project. Don’t be in a hurry to ask for a job. Be sure the decision maker sees your value to his company before asking. If he doesn’t reply, wait a week or two then try to engage him again. You initial contact may have come when the decision maker was particularly busy—polite persistence does pay off. Meanwhile, keep an active online presence, and search for additional information you could use to engage the person.

Spontaneous Phone Calls. Because this side door is commonly used, employers have tightened security. It’s harder than ever to get directly to the employer. Receptionists are trained to transfer you to HR if you don’t have the manager’s name. If you have her name, secretaries are often trained to transfer you to voicemail. Even if you have the manager’s cell phone number, employers regularly screen calls.

Here are a few tips that may help. Find the manager’s name on the company website, industry association membership lists, or the Internet, or ask someone who works for the company. If you call during lunch, the relief receptionist is often more willing to give out a decision maker’s name or connect you to his office. If you talk to the manager directly, refer to him by name. Introduce yourself, quickly share the top three reasons you would be an asset to his company, and ask if he can use someone with your abilities. Remember, do not ask if the manager is hiring or say you are looking for a job, keep the focus on how you can help them. Compare what you say to Randy’s script:

Hello, Mr. Jackson, my name is Randy Myer. I have more than ten years’ experience in bookkeeping. I’m proficient in several accounting programs including NetSuite and Peachtree. Plus, I have a proven history of saving my employer money by finding more cost-effective vendors and reducing service fees paid. Could you use someone with my skills?

➵ DID YOU KNOW?

How a person introduces herself on her voicemail message or when answering the phone tells you whether you should refer to her by her full name or first name only. If the message begins “Hi, this is Elisabeth,” use her first name. If she answers “Mrs. Smith speaking,” then use this name.

Keep it brief; the manager is busy. If she needs your skills, she will usually ask questions. If she doesn’t need your skills, ask if she knows someone who does. Regardless, thank her for her time and move on. If you get the manager’s voicemail, use the script and speak as if you were talking with him directly. At the end of your message, repeat your name and leave your phone number. If the manager needs your skills, he’ll return your call. If you follow our advice and give managers a reason to talk to you, an average of one in ten will ask to hear more, request a résumé, or agree to meet with you to discuss how you could benefit his business. If you took an hour and made twenty calls, on average, you’d generate two phone or in-person interviews during that hour.

Spontaneous Walk-in. This can be used anywhere the public has direct access to a company’s manager, such as hotels, restaurants, stores, insurance companies, brokerage houses, employment agencies, print shops, child care centers, gyms, schools, and more. As a customer you can informally impress the manager with your hard-to-find quality, attitude, or skill before mentioning, This seems like a great place to work. How does someone get on the team here?

This side door can be used in both the Open and Hidden Market. Josh loved the outdoors, and knew a lot about his local countryside. He noticed that a large outdoor sports store in town was hiring. Rather than submitting his résumé like everyone else, he got the name of the store manager and learned that he usually worked on the floor for several hours each morning. As a customer, Josh walked up to the manager and started a conversation by asking about a nearby product. During the conversation, Josh casually showed his knowledge of other products, a variety of outdoor sports, and local trails and fishing holes. He also demonstrated an ease for engaging strangers, a willingness to be helpful, and a pleasant personality. Without mentioning that he knew he was talking to the manager, Josh ended the conversation by saying, “This is a great store. It must be a great place to work. How does someone get a job here?” Josh started work a week later.

Missy wanted to work in a clothing shop, but no one was advertising openings. Her hard-to-find quality was her natural neatness. What store manager doesn’t want staff who pick up after customers without being told? She began visiting stores she wanted to work for. As she meandered toward the back counter, Missy spent several minutes re-hanging or folding clothes so the racks looked neat. All the while, she chatted happily with customers, commenting when something looked good on them. When she reached the back counter, she asked for the manager and shared her top three accomplishments. (“Hi. I’m Missy. I have a year of customer service experience, know a lot about shoes, and enjoy both assisting customers and preparing merchandise for the floor.”) Then she asked if the manager could use someone with her skills. Regardless of whether the manager said yes or no, Missy would thank her, then again tidy up as she left and give a friendly wave as she walked out the door. Note that she didn’t include her tidiness among the Facts about herself. It’s a selling point that’s more powerful if a manager notices it on her own. If the manager said no, Missy planned to visit the shop again during the next ten days as a customer, repeating the process and casually inquiring of the manager if anything had come available. Her polite persistence and unique skill paid off, and within a month she was working.

This technique doesn’t only work for retail or lower-level jobs. Michael had successfully managed his own investments for years. He found it exciting and enjoyed keeping his knowledge and skills current. When the global company he worked for laid off more than four thousand staff, he took early retirement and decided to pursue a career as a broker. He called a small, well-respected brokerage house, explained that he had a substantial portfolio, and requested an appointment with the owner. During the meeting, the owner was impressed, but surprised that Michael would want someone else to manage his portfolio. Michael pleasantly explained that due to his success, many of his associates asked him for financial advice, and he realized that being a broker was something he would be good at and enjoy. He then shared that he was impressed with the house, and asked if the owner could use someone with his skills and contacts. A deal was struck and the house helped Michael get the required licenses to start his new career.

Sharing Facts about your accomplishments is a great way to prove you’re the right person for the job. Do your résumé, cover letter, spontaneous letter, and key message make you stand out, or sound like everyone else?

QUICKTIPSFOR FACTS

• All selling points start with the employer’s needs. If the employer doesn’t need it, the Fact isn’t a selling point.

• Identify specific accomplishments that prove you can meet each need.

• Quantify each, using numbers or percentages, comparisons, proof of proficiency, or lists.

• Give a time frame (daily, in the first three months, over two years) whenever possible, so the employer is impressed with how quickly it was accomplished.

• Be sure each Fact is true and verifiable either with paperwork or a credible reference.

• Make sure it sounds believable.

• Use Facts to market yourself in writing, during cold calls, and in interviews, when accessing employers through both the front door and side door.

• Memorize your key message—the two or three Facts that are most impressive and valuable to the employer. Use it repeatedly.