I am often asked how to properly address the cover letter when submitting a resume for a job application. When a specific name is not specified in the job advertisement, the key is to remain gender neutral.
Although it may seem unbelievable in this day and age, but I still regularly receive resumes addressed to only “Dear Sir”. A mistake such as this, one that shows a lack of respect and that the candidate is quick to assume as opposed to verify the details, irks some recruiters enough that they simply delete the application without ever reading the resume. (more…)
As a company that hosts a niche B2B Sales Professionals job board we get a lot of resumes. Some are for specific sales jobs we have posted on our website and others are from people who are want to become part of our database for future job opportunities.
Yet many people, who send in a resume just open their email program, add our email address and attach the resume file. No name on the resume file, just “resume”. No contact information, no note saying they are responding to our ad or anything else that tells me they are a legitimate candidate.
In a world of spam, viruses and garbage attacking our “in boxes” every hour of every day you must take a minute to communicate with the person who is doing the recruiting.
No information means junk mail and no chance at a job. If you are applying for a sales job the recruiter is judging you not only on your resume but your introductory email. Face it if you can’t sell yourself in the email, the company recruiter is most likely thinking you will have the same poor approach to selling their products.
B2B Sales Connections can make the recruiting and job search process faster and easier than ever before. For more information on what makes our job board services unique, visit Career Connections at www.b2bsalesconnections.com/career.php.
Have you ever received a letter that had your name spelled wrong? It doesn’t give the best first impression, does it?
Not long ago I received a resume cover letter addressed to “Sunsan”. Let me assure you that addressing your resume or cover letter to the wrong person or misspelling the company or contact name is pretty much guaranteed to have your resume filed in the round filing cabinet otherwise known as the garbage can!
Each week tens of thousands of people apply to companies on line and many are never considered serious candidates because of one simple mistake. They send an email that does not include any information other than their attached resume.
A recent 6 month study conducted by an independent research group found that job seekers who apply to on line ads with both a resume and cover letter are 5 times more successful in landing interviews when compared to candidates who only include a resume.
So if you want to improve your odds of landing the interview make sure you include a cover letter with every resume.
To download a free copy of our white paper How To Write An Effective B2B Sales Resume, visit our Sales Download Centre.
Do you need some sales career advice? Are you looking to make a career change but you are unsure in which direction you should head? Do you need some honest feedback on your resume? For less than an average dinner out, you can consult with the B2B Sales Coach every day and receive the personal direction you need.
All job ads include the potential employer’s preferred method for you to apply for the available position. Some prefer a resume by email, others still prefer fax, while others request you apply via the company’s website. Whatever the stated method, you should apply as directed in the job ad. Applicants who call a recruiter when a job ad requests another method do not necessarily appear as go-getters who “make things happen”. They can actually appear disrespectful, unprofessional, and unwilling or incapable of following instructions.
When applying for a job, thinking outside the box doesn’t always help, however you can never go wrong when you apply as directed.
Do you need some sales career advice? Are you looking to make a career change but you are unsure in which direction you should head? Do you need some honest feedback on your resume? For less than an average dinner out, you can consult with the B2B Sales Coach every day and receive the personal direction you need.
A recent survey conducted by Accountemps reports that 76% of executives interviewed said that just one or two typing errors in a resume would remove applicants from consideration for a job; 40% said it only takes one typing error to rule candidates out.
With today’s spell checking technology, you are probably wondering if these errors even still occur. Speaking as someone who reviews resumes daily, I can say absolutely they still occur! In fact, not a day goes by when I don’t receive a resume with a spelling mistake on it, and some of these are from Vice Presidents! Obviously, relying on just your spell checker is not enough. (more…)
Today, most cover letters are emails as opposed to actual letters as they were in the past. The old printed cover letter used to be part of the actual resume as it was normally stapled to it. Now, the email is read once, the resume printed and/or saved, and then the cover letter email deleted.
As such, the format of the cover email must change from its printed ancestor. (more…)
Studies show 25% of sales reps produce 90 to 95% of all sales. Clearly, most sales people are not selling up to their potential and not making the incomes they could. B2B Sales Connections wants to change that.
A Sales Compass is a blog where business to business sales professionals can network. Here you will find motivation, share sales tips, and improve your sales and sales management skills. Together, we can all unlock our sales potential.
"You have a great website filled with valuable insights on the B2B world. I am glad I stumbled upon it"
"I am working through your "Action Plan for Sales Success" ...and I'd like to say THANKS for a great hands on approach, with working documents that make it easy to turn learning into ACTION."
"Her attention to detail along with her mentoring and coaching in after class support was incredible."
"Susan ...understands the sales process intimately and is able to create a management process around it that drives sales people to accomplish their goals."
