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Having been in recruiting for just under 5  years, I have reviewed thousands of resumes and have conducted hundreds of interviews.  Time and time again, I rely on the resume to tell me the initial story about the candidate. Once in the interview, I use their resume as a blueprint to their career.  Our focus and the main piece of discussion is around the resume and the work they have stated they have done.  Everything is covered:  work dates, responsibilities, successes and accolades, education, etc.  More often than you would think, you find discrepancies and false truths on the resume.  Many candidates will claim that the discrepancies were “accidental” where as others are honest and fess up to exaggeration and lying to get their foot in the door.  Whether by honest mistake or outright admittance, lying on a resume is a serious action that Executives, hiring managers and HR professionals take as an unforgivable offense and that will more likely than not get your candidacy in the recycle bin with a permanent “do not interview” note. 

Often times, some think that a little white lie on a resume is harmless and will go undiscovered.  That is not the case.  It is becoming commonplace for companies to utilize background, W2 and credit checks in addition to conducting in depth references with previous employers.  No stone goes uncovered.  Some may feel that this is an unfair practice utilized by companies and that it would make it impossible to get a job.  Does this practice weed more people out?  Absolutely.  However, as a company, would you want to hire a candidate who started off the relationship with lies and fallacies?  Absolutely not.  Think of background checks and W2 requests as a Consumer Report and that organizations are merely being consciences buyers. 

In these times of desperation where the job market is tight, some people feel that they need to lie on their resume in order to get a chance to interview.  It is widely known that companies are stricter than ever with candidate qualifications and they are non-forgiving on their requirements.  Therefore, lying on a resume has now become an art form for many job seekers.  The New York Post recently published an article titled “Crock Stars” which discusses this phenomenon*.  They too, note that many employers are screening resumes with a fine tooth comb and are only hiring candidates who have a clean background and honest resumes.  Like your mother told you as a child, honesty is the best policy.  If you want a job, be honest in communicating your background with prospective employers and find other ways of making your background relevant.  Utilize any transferable experience you may have to get your foot in the door or clearly draw parallels between what the company is looking for and what you have in your background.  If they deem your candidacy as not a fit, move on to the next opportunity.  After all, liar, liar will not get your hired.

New York Post http://tiny.cc/4cVFD

Has there been a Death of the Sales Professional as we had known it?

Forty years ago, my grandfather worked for Abbott Laboratories as one of New England’s Top Pharmaceutical Sales Professionals.  Although I never personally knew my grandfather (he died when I was just a baby) his memory was kept alive by the many stories told about his unforgettable character.  The stories painted a picture of a man “that could and would talk to anyone,” “a gifted influencer”, “a keen listener”, and “a man whose charisma walked through the door before he did”.   The consistent theme in these descriptions was that my grandfather was incredibly likable and had the ability to make an impact when he was in front of people.  Many said, “the man was born to sell.”

However, in today’s market where the structure of sales organizations continue to change, would those gifts of my late grandfather hold much weight if he was unemployed looking for a job in today’s Sales 2.0 Generation?  What other qualities or skills would he need to have to be competitive? 

I sought out answers to these questions and asked a handful of influential sales leaders what they felt were some of the most important characteristics of a successful sales professional in the Sales 2.0 Generation.  This is some of what they said:   

1. Process oriented approach vs early stage relationship selling:
   In today’s market, although it certainly doesn’t fall off the list entirely, likeability may fall down a rung of the ladder of priorities when looking for successful sales professionals.  Gene Fay*, the former VP of Sales and Business Development of Vkernal Software states that “Sales 2.0 is far more about meeting customers needs then the ability to be likable.”   The key difference seems to be a change in the buying process itself.  Fay goes on to say, “even three or four years ago sales people would work with a customer to educate them on a new product. Now, people are going to the web and doing much of their own research. Then they are reaching out to co-workers, friends and their network [Twitter, Facebook, and industry forums] to find out what people know about the topic.  It is after all of this work that a sales person would be engaged”.   Prospects are educated when they are engaged by a sales person.  They come to the table already ready to ask specific questions that will help them compare and contrast the products they are considering from a variety of vendors. 
   Adam Bosnian*, VP of Products, Strategy and Sales at Cyber-Ark Software defends a similar opinion.  “It is less about relationships in today’s selling and more about impact within the buying process (vs. selling process).  I think it is more about how the salesperson today is able to pull together all the research and work that the prospects have already done, identify what gaps of information or concerns exist, and then making sure that the right information is provided to address that gap/objection at the right time, to all the right people.” 
2. The ability to assimilate to new technology immediately and without training
   Dan Fantasia*, Founder and CEO of Treeline states, “The most scaleable and successful sales professionals in the Sales 2.0 Generation, don’t waste powerful selling time attempting to adapt to the use of new tools.  For a Sales 2.0 Superstars there is no adaptation.  Their ability to assimilate is immediate.  New tools are a part of their everyday.  These reps are not reliant on company training, they have adapted the ability to learn this stuff on their own, troubleshooting through the kinks.”  
3. The ability to find the competitive edge in a changing market
   Noted sales leader Gerhard Gschwandtner*, Founder and Publisher of Selling Power Magazine, challenged that fact that there is not a concrete list of characteristics successful sales professionals need to have in this new market.  Instead he stated that “the real story isn’t that the world has changed, the real story is about how the new, changed world can work to your advantage.”

Let’s consider you are not one of my readers that was born into the Sales 2.0 generation, maybe you are more comfortable with heavy relationship selling styles.  You may feel the new tools available to you seem to just complicate things.  An opportunistic, positive sales person has that ability to make a decision to look for the opportunities presented in the challenges you face.   Gerhard’s attitude, his decision to focus NOT on the fact that “the landscape of sales has changed drastically in the last three years” but moreover, how the “new changed world can work to your advantage” is brilliant. 

So in conclusion, what does this all mean?  Was there a death of the Sales Professional as we know it?  No, absolutely not.  As the Sales Leaders in this article confirmed, the world of selling has changed, most notably the “buying process itself” and the tool belts of sales professionals are chocked full of ammunition to make the selling process smoother and more efficient.  But teach my grandfather how to use a computer brief him on the new “buying process” and he may still be killing his quota.  To quote the play Death of a Salesman, “Be liked and you will never want.”  Forty years later this still seems to hold true and all the intangible qualities that define a sales person remain the same.   What seems to have changed are the Process and Technology.   Garth Moulton*, Co-Founder of Jigsaw, sums it up very well, “the new Sales 2.0 Professional has to be more tech savvy, adaptable, and process oriented, but to me the top traits are the same as when your grandfather was in sales:  persistence, personality, brains, talent, and charisma”. 

*To learn more about the contributing sales leaders check out their websites and blogs:
Gene Fay
Adam Bosnian, Cyber Ark
Dan Fantasia, Treeline, Inc
Gerhard Gschwandtner, Selling Power Magazine
Garth Moulton, Jigsaw

When the job market is tough and full of competitors, you may feel that a strong cover letter may be your best chance of standing out from the crowd and perhaps the key piece in landing that hard to get interview.  However, is that theory actually true?  We all know that in today’s market the hardest part is getting noticed and getting your foot in the door.  So the question is, does your use of a cover letter prove to be effective?

As a sales recruiter, my responsibilities are to understand my client’s needs and also to understand what my candidate is looking for.  I have seen thousands of cover letters and they all seem to tell a story which is important, however what other real purpose does a cover letter serve that has not already been demonstrated on your resume?  Cover letters can reveal a ton about a candidate and their ability to communicate, however do people still read them?   Classically, cover letters were used as hard copy letters you sent to potential employers that served as an introduction to who you are and why you are interested in the company.  Nowadays, it’s very rare to see a hard copy cover letter or a resume due to the fact that the internet has become commonplace.  It’s now a cultural norm to shoot off a resume as an attachment to an email or simply submit a resume through an online portal.  That being said, many job seekers tend to exclude any type of introductory email with the attachment of their resume and even their cover letter. 
You may think that you’re following proper protocol by submitting a cover letter, but shooting off a blank email with only attachments can leave a bad impression and even lead to your resume being moved to the recycle bin.  Let’s be honest, an introduction email serves the exact same purporse as a cover letter.  It is a proper way to establish a relationship with the hiring manager in the hopes of getting noticed.  That being said, be conscious of what you put in your introductory email.  Make sure the subject line of your email is professional yet eye catching.  Also, be aware of your audience!  Many people draft an introduction email and use the same one time and time again.  It is extremely important that you tailor every introductory email (as you should do with your resume) to speak to the specific hiring manager(s).  Never title your email with “Dear Sirs” or “Gentlemen”.  Many HR professionals and hiring managers are women.  This can be a very easy way to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the intended party. 

So what should your introduction email include?

1. Your story.
   • Use it as a conversation piece- peak their curiosity!!
   • Does it focus on your main competencies?
   • If you are looking to change your career, are you focusing on transferable skills?
   • What kind of skills would be beneficial to the hiring company?
2. How detailed oriented you are. 
   • Is your email grammatically correct? Are you articulate and well spoken?
   • Is it structured?
   • How pertinent is the information to the open position?
3. Be concise and direct. 
   • Focus on what is important. We are in a world of convenience!
   • Be detailed and focus on your accomplishments.
4. Key Words.
   • Organizations are now using technology to scan through introductory emails and resumes so make sure you include key words and phrases of what they are looking for!

Use your introductory email to your advantage!  Organizations are flooded with resumes in today’s marketplace and having a well written introductory email is your first chance of being noticed!  Focusing on some of the above pointers will help you exemplify your skills and experience on what an organization is looking for.   Once you have submitted your information, make sure you do not stop there!!  Here is a great article that can give you direction: 
I’ve submitted my resume, now what do I do?
Good luck and happy job hunting!