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!

Are you struggling to find work in today’s crazy business environment?

Jill Konrath has just released her highly anticipated new book, Get Back To Work Faster: The Ultimate Job Seekers Guide.

Finding a job anytime is a challenge. It’s even worse when the economy is in bad shape. Traditional job search strategies are stacked against you. And, it’s virtually impossible to come out a winner when hundreds of qualified people apply for the same position.

It’s time to stop playing the old game! This new book will change how you look at job hunting forever. You won’t learn how to write a better resume, prepare for interviews or excel at networking. Instead, you’ll find out how to eliminate that ordeal entirely.

In Get Back to Work Faster, you’ll discover how to:

• Sharpen your value proposition so it appeals to employers.
• Position yourself as an invaluable resource, not a job seeker.
• Developing compelling emails, letters and phone messages.
• Target and research prospective employers.
• Launch an effective campaign to get a new position.
• Earn an income while you’re still looking for work.
• Get employers to create a new position specifically for you.
• … and much more!

Use these fresh strategies to become a “must hire” candidate and land a new job without any competition.

Get Back To Work Faster is BRILLIANT! This practical system, that any job seeker can implement, takes the agony out of the job search and puts YOU firmly in control. – Jeb Blount, CEO of SalesGravy.com, Author of Power Principles and 7 Rules For Outselling The Recession

Get Back to Work Faster is required reading for anyone looking to recover from a job loss, as well as anyone who is looking to establish their own brand.  Read this book now before it’s too late. – Dan Schawbel, Personal Branding Expert, Author of Me 2.0

The advice for job seekers in Get Back to Work Faster is beyond world-class. Jill offers a rare and refreshing breath of solid advice in a world that is jammed with hype. I hope job seekers wake up and get this book. It will improve their job-finding odds significantly, quickly and easily. – Mark Hovind, President of JobBait.com

Jill’s ideas are energizing and inspiring-she’ll get you moving in the right direction. - Tory Johnson, CEO of Women For Hire and Author of Fired to Hired

Jill Konrath is the driver of the Get Back to Work Faster initiative, an internationally-recognized sales strategist, author of bestselling book, Selling to Big Companies (a Fortune “must read” selection) and an in-demand speaker at annual sales meetings and professional conferences. She helps salespeople, entrepreneurs and consultants crack into corporate accounts, create demand for their products/services and win big contracts. Jill has written hundreds of articles on sales strategies and is frequently quoted in top business media. She’s appeared in Success, Inc., WSJ Start-Up Journal, Entrepreneur, New York Times, Business Journal, Selling Power, Sales & Marketing Management as well as countless online publications and radio shows.

One of the most misunderstood parts of a job seeker’s career search involves meeting with an agency recruiter.  Many times I walk out of a meeting with a candidate and think, “That is a great candidate.”  Your goal as a candidate is to get whoever you meet with to think the same thing.  As a recruiter, my thought process after wrapping up an interview is to think about how I think a candidate is going to represent me, my company, and him/herself.  Why are the first two things me and my company? – Because, I have to protect my reputation and our brand with the hiring managers that we work with on a daily basis.  If they start to think that the candidates that I send are consistently not the right fit then a hiring manager is of course going to look into other avenues to find the candidates that are the right fit. 

As a candidate what you should be thinking of is treating the interview with a recruiter as important as an interview with a potential employer.  Why?  When your recruiter has to put their reputation on the line to speak to your abilities and candidacy – you want your recruiter to be emotionally invested in selling you.  As a flip side to this I recently had an interview with a candidate who told me in no uncertain terms that she wanted to make more of a base salary, work less, and that she didn’t really like to work that hard at all.  The last part she told me twice. And the topper was that her sales accomplishments were less than impressive.  But, I wanted to find her a job and thought there might be a chance with one of our clients.  Until, I got one question. 

What was the killer question? – The sales manager for our client who I have built a relationship with called me and asked, “Brian, would you hire this candidate for your team?”  I hemmed and hawed to come out with some type of explanation as to why I felt she could succeed.  My lack of positive feedback spoke more volumes than anything and in the end, ruined any chance of setting up an interview.  I am sure some of you reading this will think, “Why didn’t you just lie?”  The answer is based on my interview with the candidate I had no confidence that she would not walk into an interview and tell a manager that she didn’t like to work that hard.  Also, there are times when you need to put your neck on the line for your candidates and you can’t burn your reputation as a recruiter for someone who didn’t want to impress you. 

On the positive side I have a candidate who was referred to me.  The candidate was aggressive about getting me on the phone and then when he came in to meet with me he was all positive energy, engaged, and looked the part of a salesperson.  He was successful in sales and was asked in his previous company to move into a non-sales role.  When his company downsized him the challenge was getting back into a sales role.  But, because of his presentation I was willing to put my neck out with my clients as I knew that if he had the chance to meet with a sales manager they would be impressed.  He started last week in his new sales role.  Morale of the story; do your best to impress your recruiter and we will work hard to have doors opened for you.

Social networking is nothing new – we learned how to do it in grade school. Remember when you made friends with that kid because he always brought PB&J sandwiches and you wanted an ‘in’ to trade with him…that was social networking. When we first became professionals we often attempted to expand our resources and network by attending events. We walk around a hotel lobbies with cocktails in hand and introduce ourselves to everybody. Personally speaking, I find that networking events are not very effective for my business. I typically meet a lot of good people but there is nothing that comes from our encounters besides an exchange of business cards and courteous emails. If you want to find something to do with those business cards – go to www.jigsaw.com Over the past few years social networking websites have swapped our drink tickets and awkward conversations with effective introductions and value added propositions with a few clicks of the mouse. Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo and a myriad of other sites have proven very useful and effective for professionals trying to broaden their exposure. There are so many functions to utilizing Social Networking sites – with a few strikes to your keyboard, you can broadcast an update about what you are currently doing at work, share a best practice, promote a great blog that you just read (ahem), or even join a group that will expose you to people who otherwise you would never share a room with. The possibilities go on and on. I currently network with people halfway across the world and we are adding value to each other’s businesses. I would never have met these people otherwise. My point in bringing all of this up is to ask you, my network, – what do you find is the most effective way to network on these sites? What is a success story that you can share about a social networking site? Were you able to expand your business through a partnership initiated on-line? Did you find a new client across the country that you otherwise would never know? You may be doing something that someone else never thought of – sharing a best practice will lead to a growing network. Which is the name of the game, after all!

1.  The Negative Sell:

1.  
   • “You are probably overqualified for this position”
   • “This position, is almost 100% New Business Development, all you will do all day is make cold calls.”
   • “There are other positions open in Marketing or Account Management that you might be more interested in, would you like me to get you in touch with those hiring managers?”

One of the most common traps is the “Negative Sell.”  The negative sell can come in many different forms, but most commonly hiring managers will bait you with other positions internally that may or may not be open to try to get to the bottom of your primal interest.  You may be telling the interviewer that you are willing to hunt for new business but would much rather work as an Account Manager?  Are you unemployed and getting desperate, thus willing to take a role that you are overqualified for?  Are you an experienced Sales Person, tiring of the rat race, and thus looking for ways to get out of sales all together, (i.e: a Product Marketing, training, or something else).  Or are you an entry level sales person that ended up in sales purely out of default, still under the assumption that marketing, advertising or PR, would be the “sexier” career choice? 

In the market that we are currently in, where interviews are hard to come by, the key to overcoming this trap and ensure a positive interview you must have the following:  Tact and Focus.   

Be tactful and show focus to the job you are interviewing for:

(Example Reponses)

 “Everything I’ve learned about your organization leads me to believe this is certainly a company I want to be a part of.  I am here today to focus on learning more about the Account Executive Role.  I feel strongly, that based on my experience I could be both happy as well as highly successful in the role.  Do you have any questions or concerns that would lead you to believe I was not a good fit for this role, and is that the reason you are suggesting other avenues to take?”

There certainly are instances when you go into a company, interviewing for one role, and ultimately end up getting an offer for a different role.  The above response would allow for that while not disqualifying you for the role in which you initially applied. 

2.  The Bad Cop

Another very common trap in sales interviews is what we like to call Bad Cop.  You have had one or two interviews and great rapport with all the people you’ve met with until…..THE BAD COP.  Right off the bat, this interviewer is confrontational.  You show up on time, and they say you are late.  You answer their question and they always have a rebuttal.  No matter what you say, you just don’t seem to say the right things.  They object to everything you say, and purposely don’t answer your questions…they may even get up and leave the room while you are mid-sentence.  At the end of the interview, they may flat out tell you that you are not a fit. 

If this hasn’t happened to you yet, then consider yourself lucky.  This tactic is used by hiring managers and many times by outsourced consulting firms who are hired by the hiring company to simulate a challenging prospect you may encounter while in an actual sale.  This can commonly look like a terrible interview but it is in fact a trap the interviewer is trying to get you to fall into.

The key to this is to anticipate what might be coming and remember it is not a personal attack, this is an interview trap.  Just like in sales, you have your awesome prospects, and those that…well… are not so awesome.  Great Sales People find a way to win over any audience.  So keep your cool and remember their challenging personality could simply be a trap to gauge how you would handle yourself.  Take your time overcoming their objections in a non-defensive way.  Ignore their blatant disrespect by spinning conversation back to positive aspects of your background whenever possible.  Of course, no one wants to work for a jerk, however, get through the interview by treating it like a sales call, don’t let your feathers get ruffled and then later in the process probe and qualify who this person is and in what capacity would you work together. 

3.  The Comfort Zone:

Oh, the comfort zone…how easy it is to sink right into the casual conversations about your weekend activities, how much you hated your last boss, or the fact that you are really looking for a sales role that pays the most money but requires the least amount of work.   The Comfort Zone might as well be a hole full of quick sand because when you fall into The Comfort Zone there is no talking yourself back out.  You’re done.

At first read, you may say, “I know better than to do this,” however it is easier trap to fall into than you may think.  The more experienced your interviewer, the more artful they are in creating, “The Comfort Zone”.   Even with all of today’s technology, sales is still about people and ultimately, people buy from people they like and trust…they also hire people they like and trust.  Thus, within that conquest to relate to the hiring manager, to get him/her to like you, it is one’s natural inclination to walk down the same conversation paths as the hiring manager. 

The key to this isn’t unlike any of my other advice….it is all about preparation.   Be cognoscente that these traps exist, so you are on your toes, looking out for them and tactfully sidestepping them.   Definitely relate to your interviewer, but avoid all potential topics of controversy or inappropriate nature.  You can have a very dynamic conversation, full of positive affirmations, head nods, laugher and eye contact without saying anything damaging!!!! 

After all, “failure to prepare is preparing to fail.”  Think of a mouse trap….it only works if it catches the mouse off guard.  Once the mouse knows that it is there, the mouse can easily take a different path to bypass the trap.  Some mice even get skilled enough to take the cheese out of the trap without it closing on them.  These Mice go happily on their way with a belly full of cheese.  So, next time you’re gearing up for your next interview, put some time into anticipating these common traps and others. 

Interviewing is a skill.  With a little preparation, you will soon find yourself facing interview traps with confidence and leaving interviews not overcome, but leaving with offers!!

NOPE! 

Any company that orchestrates a job fair will tell you that Job Fairs are a very effective resource to finding a job. 

I, on the other hand, will tell you they’re a waste of time. 

Job Fairs are built for companies, not job seekers.  Job Fairs are based on an advertising business model, which is precisely how the organizers make their money.  The model is not about getting people jobs; it is about creating enough hype and promoting traffic in order to entice potential clients to purchase space.  Simply put:  Job Fair companies sell advertising.  That advertising comes in the form of booth rentals, company sponsorships and print advertising.  The larger the space, the larger the revenue.  The larger the ad in the Job Fair directory the larger the cost.  Due to contrary belief, the goal of a Job Fair company is not to get people jobs, but instead to drive enough traffic to sell ad space.  

The advantage for companies is that it is an inexpensive way to promote and build brand awareness around your firm especially if you are always hiring due to attrition.   So for those companies that have a lower need for talent, this type of model gets them in front of many people.  These companies typically have a high turnover rate and need to constantly keep the funnel full of applicants.  For them the business model is bodies in seats.  After 30 days, if they retain 2 people out of 50, they consider themselves successful.  The point being, the next time you are at a job fair, look around the room and see what kind of companies are there.  You will typically find well branded companies with jobs that are not very appealing.  Because of the low cost of entry for these firms, there is limited risk and little importance placed on the actual candidates that visit the booths.  It is more about driving a consistent message to the public and yelling from the roof tops that a company is hiring.  Companies do not attend to find a specific skill set, instead they are there to speak with the masses.  

In conclusion, Job Fairs are about volume.  As a result, I cannot say there is any advantage for job seekers.  I would love to tell you that Job Fairs are a great resource to getting a new job, but it is simply not true.  Most of the opportunities are high turnover or  entry level where past experience is not necessary.  If you are just starting out in your career and have no idea what you want to do and have time to experiment, then by all means give it a shot and at least gain some experience of what Job Fairs are like.  Otherwise, if you are successful in your career, use your network, search firms, Linkedin, Facebook and other social media to spread the word and target real people at real companies with a real need.  The time you spend at a Job Fair could be spent digging up qualified leads to truly help you advance your career.  The goal is to find a career, not just a job.    

Now that you know the model behind Job Fairs you can decide for yourself if they are worth while.  If you get lured into a Job Fair make sure you are not wasting time and if you find that you are, just leave.

The past year has been almost overwhelming in regards to the amount of change that has occurred.  Not only has the economic landscape changed but there has also been a huge shift in the way business/sales are being conducted.  At this point, I am sure that the majority of sales professionals have heard of Sales 2.0 and the changes it is bringing to sales models and sales processes.  It seems to me that most companies and their employees know they need to do something but they struggle with what they need to do to change. 

In the book “You Gotta Get In The Game,” Billy Cox challenges you to think about playing the game, not watching it.  He mentions that if you only watch from the sidelines you’re allowing your peers, your competition and your industry to pass you by.  As sales professionals, we are all playing in a new league and the game, as we know it, has changed.  There are now new techniques in how to prospect, new techniques in how to move a sale and more importantly, new techniques in how to close a deal.  At this point in time, you seriously need take a look at what you have changed in your current process and what techniques you have learned.  

This book gives great recommendations on simple techniques that you can start applying today in your daily task and actions items.  The chapter that had the biggest impact on me was “Raise the Bar”.  This chapter is short and very simple: give more today than you did yesterday.  If you apply this one very simple rule you will continue to close more business, influence more people and continue to improve yourself personally and professionally.  

In the book, Cox refers to the story of Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile under 4 minutes.  Roger was told by doctors that it was humanly impossible to run that fast and there was a grave possibility of his heart exploding.  Despite the warnings, Roger refused to let fear or medical recommendation stop him.  As an untrained runner, Roger disciplined himself by setting aside only 45 minutes per day to try to beat his old record.  Sometimes he only beat his record by milliseconds but he continued to push himself more and more every day.  This is what Cox is challenging all of us to do:  continue to push yourself.   

Cox also talks about in-depth about discipline.  Typically when I hear the word “discipline” I think about a child being punished for not cleaning his/her room.  That is negative discipline.  Cox challenges you to strive for positive discipline.  If you are focused and discipline yourself on a daily basis you can “Raise The Bar” for yourself.  The best quote to demonstrate this point is, “You will always be disciplined – you can either choose to discipline yourself or life will do it for you.”

All and all this is a simple read with a couple of quick stories to help us “Get In The Game”.

As a child, we are constantly asked by teachers and parents “what do you want to be when you grow up?”  Back in the day you may have said that you wanted to be a famous athlete or astronaut.  What I highly doubt you said at the age of 8 is that you wanted to be an ERP Software Sales Rep or that you wanted to sell medical devices.  However, at this point in our career, we may know that is the path that we want to take.  But how do you get there if you’re not in that industry right now?  We know that making an industry change can be difficult. So what do you do? How do you convince a hiring manager that you are the perfect fit for a sales role that you have never had experience in? How do you move into a new industry without taking a step back?

One of the first things that every professional needs to realize is that switching industries in this economy can prove to be extremely difficult.  In a time where companies are trying to rebuild their organizations, they will be looking to hire talented professionals from their direct space who will come with industry knowledge and perhaps a book of business.  Many companies may not be able to afford hiring a candidate from another space due to the time, money and resources it takes to train and ramp up a new hire.  We know that when you decide it is time to make a change, the best offers will come from the industry that you have the most expertise in.  So as you can see, it will prove to be a difficult move, but not an impossible one.  In order to switch industries and continue to build your career in today’s economy, you need to have a game plan.  Where should you start?

• Think about the industry that you want to be in and do some research!

Before you set your target on a certain industry, make sure you do your homework!  Check your gut and find out what you are really passionate about.  What are you moving towards or want to get away from.  You do not want to find yourself in a new industry facing the same challenges as the one you just left.  You have to ask yourself what you are looking for.  Write down what you need and the requirements for the job you want.   I would also include skills and abilities that are valuable outside of work.

• Present vs. Future

Realize where you are in your career and what you’re looking to accomplish.  Not only do you want to satisfy the things that you are looking to change now, but you should also take into account what you are looking to do in 3-5 years? Do you have a career plan?  Is the opportunity you’re currently looking at going to help you reach your ultimate goal?

• Leverage your strengths and transferable skills.

Once you have found the industry that you’re looking to break into, you want to focus on the skills you have that can be leveraged.   The resume you have is filled with words that only the people in your current industry understand, so refocus your verbiage to reflect the buzz words from their industy. Highlight what would make sense and focus on skills that can be utilized in order to make a transition.  Treeline Blog: How to articulate your story on your resume.  Showcase your past experiences, responsibilities and success that are relevant to the job you want.  For an example, if you are trying to break into an outside role you do not want to highlight your inside experience.  A sales manager is looking for 2 things, culture and most importantly can you do their job.  Treeline Blog: What makes your resume stand out?

• Have a positive attitude!

You need to have confidence in yourself and walk the fine line between confidence and cockiness.  Show the hiring manager that you have the intangibles that cannot be taught!  You have to fight for the opportunity you want because at the end of the day, good opportunities do not come to you. You have to know what you want and how are you going to get it.   Remember, take charge of your career and be your own CEO!!