Yesterday we talked about the Five Things You Should Put on Your Resume. I have received numerous comments about my unconventional thinking in this area.

Most of the comments express concern about the reaction of recruiters to this strategy.  Many people said that recruiters would simply disregard a resume structured like a direct mail piece.

This is 100% true.

This is also an opportunity for me to reiterate a point I have made numerous times in the past:  The worst person to contact about a job is a recruiter.  IN fact, I encourage my clients to avoid the Human Resources Department as much as possible.

Why? 

Because Human Resources Professionals in general (and recruiters in particular) as good at doing a general screening to weed out people who they feel do not belong in the applicant pool for a job.  They do this from a job description.  A job description is a piece of paper that contains the responsibilities of the person who will be filling the position.  If the candidate’s resume does not contain experience that matches the job responsibilities, they are almost always removed from consideration.

Why is this bad?

Because experience is a poor predictor of job success.  Let me give you an example:  I have experience performing surgery.  I could put in on a resume.  This fact might get me through the initial screening for a position as a doctor in a hospital.  In reality, the only surgery I performed was removing a loose tooth from my six-year old niece’s mouth.

Experience means that you did something but not that you were good at it.

Find the hiring manager and send him/her a direct mail letter.  You will be better off.

Tomorrow I’ll give you some tips on how to find the hiring manager.

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I hate resumes.

I coach people at all levels on making a smooth career transition.  In most cases this means helping them get another job. 

Getting a job is nothing more than a sales process.  You are the product.

In sales, the worst possible thing you could ever do is make your marketing materials look identical to the materials everyone else is using to sell their products.  The way to get noticed is to stand out from the crowd – to be different. 

That’s where my problem with resumes comes in.

Every client I meet with for an initial consultation is shocked when I tell them that they will never get a job with their current resume.  They look at me like I just told them that their baby was ugly.  Then they say that their friend/uncle/spouse/cousin just got a great job and his/her resume looks just like the terrible document they put in front of me.  What they forget is that their friend/uncle/spouse/cousin had a friend/relative who introduced them to the hiring manager.  They were not dependent on their lame piece of paper to get them in the door.

If you want to get a job with a direct mail document – that’s what a resume is – you need to get a few things straight.  Five to be exact.  There are five things that will make your resume stand out from everyone else’s.  If you put these five things on your resume you will get more responses than the thousands of others that are pouring in for your dream job.

A Bold Headline

Believe it or not this is the most important piece of this document.  You need to grab the reader’s attention with a bold statement.  Your headline has only one objective: To get the reader to read the sentence immediately after it.  That’s all.  You want it to reach out off of the page and pull the reader into your copy.  Be outrageous if that’s your style.  Example:

“Who Else Wants to Double their Revenue?…Guaranteed”

Testimonials

Every resume should have at least two power testimonials.  One immediately follows the headline.  It is essentially supporting evidence. So after the headline above you should put a supporting testimonial like:

“Dave Lorenzo amazed me with his ability to double our division’s annual revenue year after year.  I was amazed when he did it three years in a row.”
Paul Powerful – EVP Southwest Region, Acme Widget Company

Your second testimonial will come later on in the document.

Testimonials should be from people who are either well known (a locally famous, well respected business person, politician or religious leader) or have a powerful title (CEO, Sr. VP, Managing Director).  Testimonials get you noticed and they provide powerful social proof.  Basically you are short-circuiting the reference process by putting your best two references right up front.

Numbers

You must include how you have contributed to increased revenue or profitability and you must quantify your contribution.  Use percentages, dollars and cents and comparisons (increases year-over-year, comparisons to the industry average, etc.).  Actual numbers are a powerful way to make your case.  Put some solid numbers below your first testimonial.  You should view this as making a case to a jury.

In the case we outlined above you could say:

“Mr. Powerful was kind enough to write the endorsement you read above.  In that case I increased the revenue from 10 million to 50 million while with Acme Widgets.  This was all done while maintaining a profit percentage of 35% – which is three times the industry average.”

An Offer – Show them How They Will Benefit From Hiring You

Now you need to tell the reader why they should hire you.  Show them how the case you have just outlined can work for them.  Give them three (no more and no less) specific benefits that are relevant to them.   You want to give them just enough information to want to hear more.  This way they need to call you into the office for a meeting (interview).  As we follow with the case outlined above, let’s say you are applying for the sales manager job at Sam’s Widget Co.  You could say:

“Sam’s Widget Co. needs a revenue boost.  The current quarterly report has sales numbers well off of the industry benchmark.  I can be of immediate assistance in three ways:

• By bringing industry clients with immediate needs to Sam’s Widget Company
• Through my proven sales process – refined over the past 20 years. I know how to develop new business quickly
• By teaching other reps my system and developing great habits that produce rapid results.”

A Call to Action

You must include a call to action in your marketing document (you can still call it a resume if you’d like).  You need to give the reader something to do.  In our case study example you would say:

“If you’re ready to boost revenue quickly we must speak sometime this week.  I am in the process of finalizing my career decision and I know I can provide Sam’s Widget Co. with significant value.  I will call your office on Tuesday at 10AM to schedule an appointment.  Please ask your assistant <insert assistant’s actual name in here for extra points> to help me schedule the meeting.”

Finally you add your second testimonial below the call to action.  In our case it would look like this:

“Working with Dave Lorenzo was one of the highlights of my career.  He was a co-worker and a friend.  He made everyone around him better.”  Joe Salesman – Acme Widget Sales Professional

If your put it all together here is what it looks like:

Who Else Wants to Double their Revenue?…Guaranteed

“Dave Lorenzo amazed me with his ability to double our division’s annual revenue year after year.  I was amazed when he did it three years in a row.” Paul Powerful – EVP Southwest Region, Acme Widget Company

Mr. Powerful was kind enough to write the endorsement you read above.  In that case I increased the revenue from 10 million to 50 million while with Acme Widgets.  This was all done while maintaining a profit percentage of 35% – which is three times the industry average.

Sam’s Widget Co. needs a revenue boost.  The current quarterly report has sales numbers well off of the industry benchmark.  I can be of immediate assistance in three ways:

• By bringing industry clients with immediate needs to Sam’s Widget Company
• Through my proven sales process – refined over the past 20 years. I know how to develop new business quickly
• By teaching other reps my system and developing great habits that produce rapid results

If you’re ready to boost revenue quickly we must speak sometime this week.  I am in the process of finalizing my career decision and I know I can provide Sam’s Widget Co. with significant value.  I will call your office on Tuesday at 10AM to schedule an appointment.  Please ask Jane to help me schedule the meeting.

“Working with Dave Lorenzo was one of the highlights of my career.  He was a co-worker and a friend.  He made everyone around him better.”  Joe Salesman – Acme Widget Sales Professional

 Keep in mind that you’ll want to format the document so that it looks pretty. 

I know what you’re thinking, that’s not really a resume.  Well, remember what I said at the beginning?  People feel this need to send a resume – so call this what ever you want.  This is the tool that will get you the interview that will land you that dream job.

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Here is a link to my latest article on Free Money Finance.  The article is titled: Get Your Letter into the Right Hands.

It is about getting a letter (not a resume) about you into the hands of a person who can hire you for a new job. 

Let me know what you think. 

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Where is your next job offer going to come from?  If you want it to be good (potentially increasing your overall compensation by 50–100%) it needs to come from someone who knows you well and is familiar with your work.  Answering classified ads or placing all of your faith in a headhunter is a risky way to try to advance your career.  You need develop a strong network of advocates who will help you when you are ready to make your move.  Here are three ways you can “seed the clouds” so that you can make it rain cash when your ready to find you next job.

Join Industry and Trade Organizations.  Don’t just joining but be active.  You need to show your expertise and get to know the “movers and shakers” in your industry.  People must know that you are an expert.  Volunteer to write articles.  Volunteer to give speeches.  Be a great spokesperson for your industry.

Embrace Change.  When the tide begins to turn in your company or in your industry you need to be out in front leading the charge to make the change easier.  People who do not change get left behind.  People who embrace change and lead change are perceived as “visionaries”.  For better of for worse people who embrace change are considered true leaders.  Business loves a natural leader.

Develop Positive Gravity.  People with a positive attitude draw others to them like magnets.  If you are an optimist you will have twice as many advocates as a cynical individual.  I only want positive people on my team and I only want positive people running my business.  They are more successful, they lead healthier lives and they make work fun.

If you accept this challenge and do these three things you will be amazed at how quickly opportunities begin to surface.  Get off your desk chair and get going.    

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Getting credit for good ideas isn’t just positive reinforcement—it’s also job security during economic downtime. So, how do you make sure your good ideas get the recognition they deserve from the supervisor? The simple truth is just as it’s your responsibility to do a great job, it’s also your responsibility to let your boss know what a great job you’re doing by demonstrating your value. How do you do this?

Make yourself visible. When the chance arises to give a presentation, take a visitor on a tour, train new employees, or contribute ideas in a meeting, jump on it. The more visible you are to your boss and colleagues, the more you stick in their minds and the more they associate you with success, productivity, in progress. Additionally, every person you interact with is another contact who might have leads to future opportunities for you.

Record and report successes. Every time you accomplish something of significance at work, write it down. Keep a notebook in your desk expressly for this purpose. When the time for your performance review comes, you have a wealth of information to draw from in preparing your argument for a raise or a promotion. It’s up to you to point out what you’ve been doing and how much value you’ve created.

Seize new opportunities. When your boss needs someone to complete a special assignment, volunteer. Refer to similar projects from your past, and assure your boss that you are fit for the work. This willingness to tackle new challenges will impress your boss and attract attention to you. When further opportunities arise, you will be the person who comes to mind to get the job done.

Don’t expect anyone else to look out for your best interests and chart your path to success. Be proactive in your career, and keep forging ahead. Make sure that your supervisor is aware of your hard work and accomplishments, and all the individual value that you contribute to the company.

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Marketing your company is a basic requirement for attracting customers, generating sales, and expanding your business and success. Likewise, positioning your own personal brand in the workplace is a critical step in building a name for yourself, opening up opportunities, and taking steps in your career. Marketing and promotion, on the company or personal scale, do not come easily or naturally to some. You can and must, however, learn to be an effective marketer. Here’s a basic marketing process you can use to increase personal branding impact:

1. Identify your assets. Your unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets you apart from the competition. It’s not enough to be better—you also have to be different. Be as specific as you can in defining what you do and why you do it well. Focusing on a particular niche of an industry helps you stand out from the crowd. A narrow and deep approach can work for virtually anyone in any business. Once you become known as the expert in a particular area, you will gain clout and leverage among your peers.

2. Identify your target. You need to understand whom you can effectively reach with your work, how they purchase services or make hiring decisions, how they perceive you, and what problems they have that you can solve for them. The better grasp you have of their needs and motivations, the more fuel you have to use in the process of selling yourself to them. At company meetings and in correspondence, pay attention to deficits and current problem areas, and respond quickly to those issues.

3. Identify your target’s needs. Try to gain a good understanding of the company’s values and market position. Is the organization traditional or cutting edge? Who are their customers, and what do they want? What qualities are they looking for in the person who will be hired to the position in question? If you’ve been with your company a while already, tune in to the dynamics of growth within the company. How is it evolving, and what do they want from their employees to facilitate growth? Stand ready to evolve with the company, and even one step ahead of it.

4. Present yourself. When applying for a job, rather than submitting the standard version of your résumé, customize it for each position and company. Keep in mind your target and their needs and values. Put your emphasis on a few main qualities that are indispensable to the company. If they’re looking for someone creative, groundbreaking, and dynamic, highlight those features in yourself. In a long-held position, make a point of communicating your growth and achievements to your supervisor and business partners. Show them that you are a high-value employee who continues to generate new and essential value.

5. Evaluate. Take time now and then, especially after significant victories and setbacks, to assess your progress. Which of your personal branding strategies are working the best? Which yield the greatest returns? If you’re making slow progress, try some new ideas. For the diligent and determined individual, a gradual increase in success is inevitable.

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This How Stuff Works feature discusses the five foundational sales strategies, which happen to correspond to excellent tactics for your career:

1. Attention. In sales, you have to capture the attention of the buyer, usually through some kind of marketing. In your career, you must distinguish yourself as an exceptional individual who offers great value and grab the attention of your supervisor, business partners, and clients. Once you’ve got their attention, you can work your magic and win them over.

2. Interest. Appealing to the buyer’s logic and emotions and generating an attachment to your product or service hooks him. Creating a strong personal brand and generating buzz cultivates excitement around you, and this leads to opportunity. Success people are alluring. People take notice. You’ve got to hook people if you want to get ahead.

3. Desire. When selling a product or service, letting the customer try it out generates the desire to own it or continue using it. When you improve business for your supervisor and colleagues, they develop professional (and often, personal) attachments to you and want to keep working with you.

4. Conviction. Once customers know your offering is worthwhile, they’re more likely to want to get in on it. If you believe in yourself and project self-confidence, and if your clients are excited about your work and refer you to others, the message will go out that you are a quality service provider people will want to call on.

5. Action. After you’ve convinced the customer that your product is worthwhile, you’ve got to seal the deal and get her to take action by making the purchase. As a Career Intense individual, you have to learn how to persuade people and get them to take action on your behalf—either by making way for opportunities, talking to others about you, or saying yes to what you want.

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“Your résumé speaks volumes about you. Unfortunately, sometimes it screams, ‘Don’t hire me.’” This Fortune article discusses what information you should—and should not ever—include on your résumé. Remember that they only know what you tell them. Of course, you should never provide false or misleading information, but you needn’t reveal unflattering information that they don’t even need.

Focus on the positive in yourself. When crafting your résumé, just as when interviewing, meeting new people, and pitching your business, think about what the company needs and what you can give them. Show them how much you believe in yourself, and they will want to believe in you, too.

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Some believe that the best way to bring people around to your way of thinking is to capture the spotlight and give a dazzling song and dance about you. However, we’re all bombarded with attention-grabbing routines every day—prints ads, billboards, TV commercials, e-mail spam. What we’d really like is for our specific needs to be understood and fulfilled. If you want to persuade your customers and get them to buy your product or service, and do so in a unique and high-impact way, you have to make your case from their point of view.

Think about the people you know who give the best gifts. The giver, rather than giving what he likes, takes the time to think about exactly what the recipient of the gift likes and give her something special that has meaning to her. Get into this frame of mind. Think about what your customer wants most of all, what’s missing, what you could give him that would earn his trust and loyalty. Understanding what your customer wants and showing him how you can surpass his needs is a very powerful way to persuade.

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Practice finding the good—in your day, each situation, and yourself. As a society, we are bombarded with bad news. Stories with a sad, tragic, or negative spin fill the evening news, and good news is tacked on to the end, if that. Most of us tend to focus on what we don’t like about our job, our car, our wardrobe, our life. Gossip about what people are doing wrong spreads quickly. We only take our car to the shop when something’s wrong with it. We stop smoking, drinking, or overeating only when we are faced with negative consequences. Make an effort to pause and be aware of the positive elements in your life.

What do you like about your job? What do you like about your field? What do you like best about yourself? What do you admire in your colleagues? Instead of talking about your career in terms of what’s wrong with it, think about how you can make it better. For instance, instead of bemoaning the anonymous feel of the large company you work for, count yourself lucky for having that many more opportunities to meet new people and make an impression.

People are attracted to those who surround themselves with positive energy. Optimism is contagious and magnetic. When life is coming up roses for you, everybody wants to know what you’re about. Give people something good to think about. Turn their focus to your work, your personal brand, and all the great things about you.

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Anne, a woman I have been working with recently, has just started her own massage therapy business. She has gotten off the ground with a combination of traditional advertising and Web presence. Many of her clients remark on the quality of her Web site and say they chose her over competitors largely because they were able to find out more about her on her site. The core of any great Web site is content, and Anne’s is no exception. The layout is simple and easily navigable, and she provides thorough, yet succinct, information on her education, philosophy, office environment, and payment structure. It didn’t cost her much to get the site up and running, and she has already made up for the cost in new business.

Web presence is a excellent way to get the word out. It requires only a small money and time investment, yet it lends credibility to your business, brings in new clients, helps establish rational and emotional appeal, showcases your personal brand, and edges out competitors. Better yet, a blog on your site gives you the opportunity to communicate with your customers about your products and services, improvements, and successes, as well as request useful feedback from them. Anne attracted new clients and gained an edge over the competition by having a simple Web site. It’s a very safe bet.

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The third part of The Cycle of Continuous Improvement is demonstrating your value. The more people you can make aware of your talents, the better. If you want to capture the attention of repeaters and boosters outside of your immediate circle, along with the focus of the media, you’ve got to have a fantastic story. Maybe you have a great story but you aren’t sure how to frame it. Here are seven types of stories that have a higher likelihood of catching on:

Sex, Lies, and the Outrageous

Howard Stern is a master of this category. He generates tremendous buzz and keeps people on the edge of their seats to see what he’ll say or do next. Even if people are offended by these kinds of stories, they have that train wreck quality that makes it hard to look away.

The Who-Dun-It

Natural human curiosity takes over when we are presented with mystery stories. We wait and wonder about the outcome, talking about possibilities with our friends and coworkers, circulating buzz all around us.

The Hype

Events that are anticipated weeks in advance, prepared for at length, and talked about by everyone, such as the Super Bowl are the buzz. If you can find a way to create hype around your business, you’ve got it made.

The Cinderella Story

Are you an underdog? Did you start with nothing and overcome insurmountable odds to soar to victory? Everybody loves to pull for the little guy. If this is you, let people know so they can back you up and pull for you.

The Hilarious

Who doesn’t love a good laugh? Humor is a powerful tool in winning people over. If you can poke fun at yourself in an amusing way, all the better. Get people laughing and you get them on your side, adoring you and rooting for you.

The Hero

What’s not to love about a hero? The drama, the bravery, the inspiration. People identify with other regular people who rise up to do something unexpected and brave. Everybody wants a hero to win.

The Secrets

When we don’t know or can’t know, we just have to know. Anytime a scandal involving secrets arises, people are glued to their television sets, desperate to find out more.

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Master persuaders know that people are more likely to agree with them, like them, buy from them, and hire them if they feel they have more in common with them. To encourage this, master persuaders highlight their similarities to the customer or business associate. How can you do this?

1. Talk about what you have in common. No matter how different you may think you are from someone, you are bound to have at least a few things in common with him. Find out what they are, talk about them, and begin to connect. Successful people find ways to click with anyone and know how to get along with people from all walks of life, ages, and areas of expertise. Doing so is beneficial to you in several ways. Not only do you increase the likelihood of the person saying “yes”, but you also expand your base of knowledge and experience.

2. Look the part. If you’re meeting with a banker who dresses conservatively, match the tone of his clothing. If you’re having lunch with someone who’s more trendy and fashion-forward, work a little more verve into your look. People tend to look for what they know in others. I’m not suggesting you forget who you are or pretend to be something other than what you are. All you need to do is lean toward his point on the spectrum.

3. Compliment him. Everybody loves a compliment. This doesn’t have to be artificial. Something about him probably impresses you. Verbalize what it is. We all want to work with people who like us and make us feel appreciated. When someone tells us we’re great, we want to live up to that and show it off.

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The Cycle of Continuous Career Improvement is comprised of personal situation analysis, value creation, and value demonstration. As an individual dedicated to continuous improvement, you must communicate your growth to your customers and potential customers. How can you do this?

1. Talk about it. Tell people what you’ve accomplished. Work your good news into conversations. Verbalizing your successes and getting positive feedback fuels your progress, makes you shine, and attracts people to you. Everybody loves a winner and wants to get next to her to figure out how she does it.

2. Write about it. Share progress with customers in e-mail and written communication. Start your own blog, and update frequently about your progress. Send out a monthly newsletter to your customers, letting them know how business is going.

3. Show it. If you have your own Web site, update the news section with breakthroughs and new ideas. If you work at a company, post your success statistics in your office or cubicle, in plain view.

Letting your customers know how well you’re doing gives them faith in your commitment to continuous improvement and value creation.

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From Small Business CEO:

“Two days ago you presented a proposal to someone you hope will soon be a new client. You stopped by your favorite Starbucks for coffee this morning and the prospect was two people ahead of you in line.

What do you do? Should you say hello, or wait for the person to see you and then say hello. If you do say hello what do you say next? How can you optimize this random encounter?

Now take it to the next level. You know this person goes to Starbucks regularly — how do you use that knowledge to ‘manufacture’ a random encounter and use it effectively?

What makes these situations so valuable, and how can you optimize them?

That is what this week’s conversation is all about. Join Anita Campbell with guest David Lorenzo, author of a new book called Career Intensity as he provides practical answers to the questions above and more.

Go here to listen to “Master the Random Business Encounter”.”

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Get into the habit of selling yourself and promoting your talents and strengths. You don’t have to be an arrogant jerk nobody likes to point out what a winner you are. Here are a few easy tips for getting noticed:

1. Speak up. Shy is nice and all, but nobody’s going to find out anything about you if you sit in the corner brooding. Even the most basic small talk question about the weather can lead to a great conversation about your goals and career opportunities.

2. Be positive. No one wants to listen to a bunch of complaining. Even if you are facing tough problems, try not to dwell on them. Talk about things that inspire you and, in turn, inspire others.

3. Ask questions. People love to talk about themselves, and the funny thing is that the more people tell you about themselves, the more they think they know you and the closer they feel to you.

4. Be yourself. A unique person stands out more than one who follows the pack. Highlight your individual opinions and ideas.

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Many people believe that the person hired for a job is always the best qualified for the position.

“‘Not so,’ says Hansen, associate professor of marketing at Stetson University. ‘More often than not, it comes down to interviewing skills and your rapport with your interviewers. Your qualifications, education, and experience will usually get you an interview, but then you need to prove why you are the best person to fill the job.’”

This comes back, once more, to attitude. The way you present and sell yourself and your skills are oftentimes most important. Radiate confidence and openness, and you will attract opportunity.

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In every office around the world there is a big bag of money just sitting in a closet.  That bag of money is the secret stash that the big shots give to people who provide value.  Your job is to get them to reach into that bag and give you the increase that you deserve. 

There is a good chance that your company doesn’t really have that bag of money in the closet.   But it is important that you keep that mental image with you as you seek a pay increase. There is almost always a way for a company to reward a star performer.  Sometimes this reward involves financial compensation.  Sometimes the compensation can come in the form of an added benefit.  Sometimes a company will only offer something as simple as a new place to sit or a larger office.  The goal of this article is to help you receive something additional from your employer.   

As you begin, you need to take a good hard look at your performance.  Have you created value for your company?  If so, can you quantify how much value you have created?  (If you are in sales, this is pretty easy.  You simply need to look at the amount of business you have brought into the firm. In other areas, look at money you have saved the company since your last pay increase.)  When you examine your performance, examine it as it compares to your peers within your organization.  If you are not near the top of the list, you probably do not have a viable argument for seeking an increase.  Next compare your performance to other people in your industry.  Are you above average?  Again, if you are not, you should probably improve your performance before you ask for a raise.

Now that you know how valuable you are to the company, and where you stand in the pecking order, you can begin to make a reasonable case for an increase.  Get your numbers together.  Make sure you can present some figures to the boss that show the value you have created.  DO NOT compare yourself to anyone in your current organization.  You boss will have access to these numbers.  She will know exactly where you stand in the firm.  At this stage you are just looking to put some figures on paper that will show that you have a good understanding of the value you create.

Picking the right opportunity for the “money conversation” is critical.  Timing is everything in business.  There are a few times that are ideal for having a conversation about a pay increase.  These times are:

• Right after you have received an award.  If your company (or better yet your industry) recognizes your value by giving you an award, you have some good momentum. Go for it.
• After you have closed a big deal, saved some big money for the firm or played a critical role on a project.  Once again you can capitalize on some positive momentum.
• If you have agreed to take on additional responsibility.  This is particularly true if you will be doing the jobs of multiple individuals.  A labor savings will often result in additional compensation for the remaining workers.
• After your boss has received an award.  If your boss is performing at a high level, she may want to share some of the recognition with you.
• After the company has announced a good financial period.  If the company is making more money, there might be some additional compensation available for key contributors.

When the “moment of truth” arrives for the conversation make sure you are dressed well and you have excellent personal hygiene.  (This sounds basic but there is nothing worse than sitting across from someone who is asking for money and smells like they slept in a dumpster). As you make your case, talk about the numbers.  Show the value you have provided.  Explain how you plan to continue to provide even more value in the future.  It is key that you appear rational and unemotional.  Approach this as a business transaction. 

Once the conversation is over give your boss time to process the information.  Don’t pester her every day for an answer.  She may have several people she needs to speak with to get authorization for your request.  After a week to ten days, follow up with a friendly e-mail asking if she has any information on your request.  If she does not, it is appropriate to ask her to estimate when she will have an answer. 

There are a few things that you should definitely NOT do when asking for a raise.  

• DON’T talk about the reason you need the money. This will not be a consideration for most companies.  Your problems are not their problems.  Saying that you have personal financial difficulty only makes you appear weak.
• DON’T demand to be paid as much as a specific employee in your firm. Comparing yourself to other employees will only get ugly in the long run.  It’s OK to compare yourself to the average pay for your position or the average compensation in your industry, but don’t compare yourself to an individual. 
• DON’T threaten to leave. Your relationship with you boss will never recover from a threat.  If you are good at your job, your boss will know that you have options.  You don’t need to rub it in her face.

The bottom line in asking for a raise is that you must be a value-creator to deserve additional consideration.  Highlight the ways you create value. Talk about your value in financial terms. Time your conversation appropriately. Take a rational and business-like approach toward requesting more compensation.

Remember that most businesses try to obtain services as inexpensively as possible.  This includes labor. Chances are good that you will only receive more if you ask for it.

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I’ve talked before about how critical first impressions can be and how much of a role body language plays in establishing one. This article gives some great ideas on setting the right tone in an interview.

“‘When you walk into a job interview, the first impression is made in three to seven seconds,’ says Mary Dawne Arden, an executive coach and president of Arden Associates in New York. ‘One study found that a first impression is based on 7% spoken words, 38% tone of voice, and 55% body language.’”

As soon as you walk in the building—in fact, five minutes before you walk in—smile, stand up straight, and carry yourself with an air of confidence and openness. To communicate professionalism and respect for the company and interviewers, dress a notch nicer than you think you should. Be warm, friendly, and pleasant.

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“The most common pricing error in startup business plans is pricing too low—way too low, in many cases. I see this all the time. Entrepreneurs think every new business has to offer lower prices than the competition, and that somehow a low price is related to success.”

So says Tim Berry, president of Palo Alto Software, Inc., in this Entrepreneur.com article on setting prices for your startup.

This brings me back to a critical point in career success: Never undersell yourself. Whether you’re selling a product, a service, or yourself, insist upon a fair price. This communicates self-respect and keeps you from being locked into low earnings. Do you really want to work for someone who’s offering you peanuts? You can and should do better.

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It can be difficult to win over the hearts and minds of others. We make appeals to the people we encounter each day in an effort to get the to help us.  David Maister offers a thorough list of those appeals on his blog.  Here is his list:

• The Personal Request – Do it as a favor to me. I’ll owe you one.
• The Ego Protection Ploy – You’ll look bad in the eyes of others.
• The Team Play Appeal – It’s important to the team.
• The Fun Promise – You’ll enjoy it once you start doing it.
• The Isolation Gambit – You don’t want to be the odd person out.
• The Guilt Plea – You’re a better person than that.
• The Values Volley – It’s consistent with what you believe in.
• The Perspective Point – It will pay off for you in the long run.
• The Have Mercy Message – Other people will suffer if you don’t.
• The Contractual Comeback – You agreed to this when we discussed it.
• The Principle Principle – It’s the right thing to do.
• The Context Framer – When you do this, it has the following consequences for others.
• The Achievement Temptation – You could get good at this if you wanted to.
• The Recognition Response – People will really think highly of you if you do this.
• The Desperation Resort – Do It and We’ll Pay You (We promise.)

We often use these in tandem or in multiple combinations.  Notice how these are all emotional appeals.  In business we often make our case from a rational point of view.  We lay out the facts and figures and list the benefits to the recipient of the information. Yet this rational methodology fails about as often as it is successful.

A better approach is to combine an emotional appeal with the rational approach. Humans are emotional creatures.  How we feel influences our judgment and decision-making as much as what we think.  The next time you make a case to someone, be sure to link emotions with the rational components of the decision.  This will help you gain a commitment faster.

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Business Week gives an excellent suggestion for selling yourself in an interview:

“You want to promote yourself, I know. But too much puff is a huge turnoff to employers. The key to presenting yourself as accomplished yet modest is to introduce all self-promoting topics with an air of humble gratitude, even mild bewilderment. ‘I’m not quite sure how it happened, but I won the Nobel prize.’”

This is really the best approach to self-promotion of any sort. Let’s face it—some people are threatened by accomplished people. An effective way of making them feel more comfortable and accepting of your success is presenting the facts gracefully and simply. Revealing the human and fallible makes people feel that something good is within their reach, too, and that is mesmerizing.

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When was the last time you let someone know about a success in your life? A lot of people refrain from talking about what they’re doing right because they don’t want to be seen as arrogant. Some people even go so far as to dismiss any praise that comes their way.

Now, humility and modesty are all well and good. Sometimes. But in the realm of your career, where it is critical that you stand out from the crowd, people need to know what you have to offer that is unique and exceptional. You don’t have to boast about yourself constantly to make people aware of your accomplishments. But don’t be shy about sharing your successes. Not only will you draw positive attention toward yourself, you will most likely inspire other people to win, too.

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This insightful Economist article reports that “a product with a known brand name is judged to taste better than the same product with a generic brand” and “students, after having caught colds, believed that discounted drugs treated their symptoms less well than did the same drugs bought at their full cost”. This suggests that consumers do believe they get what they pay for, regardless of the actual quality of the product.

To me, this gives one more compelling reason never to undersell yourself, never to settle for a mediocre salary, never to offer especially low prices or unwarranted discounts on your products or services. In fact, it reminds me that I should never settle for less than I want, as I will lose esteem in the eyes of the person with whom I am negotiating. If I sell myself at bargain prices, I shouldn’t be surprised if I end up in the dollar bin!

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Many times your career success is not about you. It’s about your customers. 

An entrepreneur’s customers are usually obvious.  They are the people who purchase your goods and services. If your are an Intrepreneur your customer group also includes the people you work with everyday (especially your superiors).

Your success is about this group of very important people because it is their perception that makes all the difference in your career.  If your customers believe that you produce exceptional value, they will return to you repeatedly.  You will become known as the person with the big idea or as the person who can solve the tough problem.

The perception of the value you provide to your customers is the single most important factor in the success of your career.  If you only focus on one thing, focus on that.   

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CNN and CareerBuilder.com posted an interesting article about the 25 words that can hurt your resume.  They are:

Aggressive
Ambitious
Competent
Creative
Detail-oriented
Determined
Efficient
Experienced
Flexible
Goal-oriented
Hard-working
Independent
Innovative
Knowledgeable
Logical
Motivated
Meticulous
People person
Professional
Reliable
Resourceful
Self-motivated
Successful
Team player
Well-organized

As you may already know, I think sending out resumes are one of the worst ways to get a job.  If you must rely on a resume, please avoid these words.

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It doesn’t matter whether you are meeting with someone face-to-face, over the telephone, or via videoconference – you need to be able to convince him that you can provide him with something of value. Intrepreneurs, Entrepreneurs, and everyone who aspires to become either must be able to communicate and sell their ideas to others. The first step in this process is to have a quality product. In this case, the product is you and the value you can provide.

One of the fundamental principles of Career Intensity is to demonstrate your value to your customers. There is no better opportunity for value demonstration than when you have a big idea and you need to share it with your customers or your boss. Just expressing this idea in a clear coherent fashion will not be enough to make it a reality. You must sell it to them. You must persuade your constituents that you are credible and that your idea is the best thing they have ever heard.

The need to sell is universal. Everyone in the workforce – whether they are working in a company or as an entrepreneur – needs to be able to influence the behavior of others in a favorable way. In short, everyone sells. So, becoming a master persuader can be helpful in a myriad of situations:

Making a Case for Financing – Entrepreneurs need to secure financing to make their business dreams a reality. In order to obtain the capital necessary to start or expand a business, you must have a solid business plan and you must be able to convince others that your plan will succeed.

Intrepreneurs need to secure financing for internal initiatives. Most of these negotiations occur during budget planning. Many good ideas die a slow and painful death because a manager is unable to persuade her boss of the merits of funding and implementing them.

Motivating Employees – There is no such thing as blind faith when it comes to managing employees. The command-and-control style of management just doesn’t cut it anymore. Even the U.S. Armed Forces are teaching soldiers the “Why” behind the orders. Selling vs. telling is the way to combine leadership with development. This is true for those in corporate roles as well as for Entrepreneurs.

Winning over the majority of the group – especially in cross-functional work teams – is an approach that results in improved productivity and increased dedication and loyalty. Employees who buy into management’s approach to the task at hand will put greater effort into their work. This effort is transparent to customers and often translates into higher sales and profitability.

Creating Alliances – Persuasion is critical in creating alliances among peers or potential business partners. Having friends or allies is valuable in companies large and small. In order to create alliances, you need to be able to persuade others that you are the type of person who will provide them with value.

Building Teams – Every business can benefit from improved teamwork. Persuasion is a critical component in helping create teams and in keeping teams working together. A team has to adopt a unified mindset to achieve a goal. Individuals need to be convinced that the team’s goal is beneficial to them as well. This requires persuasion.

Getting a New Job – If you are in the large segment of the population that is unhappy at work then you will undoubtedly be looking for a new job at some point in the future. A job interview is nothing more than a sales meeting. It is an opportunity to sell yourself. You must persuade your target (the hiring manager) they you are the best thing to ever happen to his company.

To sell yourself, your products, or your ideas, you need to become a master persuader. This means that you must understand how people think, act, and make decisions. You need to learn how to influence people so that you can win them over to your way of thinking, yet effective persuasion is both a skill and a responsibility. Before you can learn to persuade others, you need to understand the Rules of the Road for master persuaders.

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The most indispensable employees are those who make valuable and unique contributions to their organization. Many people do this, but few make it known. Here are five tips for communicating your career growth to your supervisors and customers:

1. Keep a written log of successes. Report each one of these in your performance review meeting. Use active language (created, enhanced, streamlined) to describe your work.

2. Reference personal accomplishments in conversation and e-mail correspondence. For instance: “Using the new database I’ve developed, I’ll be able to update you much more quickly.” Respond to influential team members directly—don’t default to going through your supervisor.

3. Update your supervisor with any training you’ve completed or certifications you’ve earned.

4. Get involved in meetings. Come prepared with fresh ideas for improving processes and your business. Meetings afford excellent opportunities to be noticed and heard.

5. Ask your supervisor for new responsibilities. Let her know that you’re ready to move to the next level.

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If you want to stand out from the crowd you need to show your creativity in making an impression on a prospective employer.  Instead of resumes here are some ideas:

Print a personal brochure.  Include a photo, some client testimonials, former supervisor quotes on your performance and any awards you may have won.  Does it sound like you are selling something?  If so you’re starting to get the picture.

Create a personal website.  Include all of your vital employment information.  You can even start a blog or a podcast.  Believe me – people notice a well designed personal website.

Write an article in a trade journal.  Include a copy of the article in a mailing with your personal brochure.  This will get you lots of attention and it will showcase you creativity and initiative.

Your are your most important product.  Stop thinking about the traditional way of getting a job and start selling yourself!

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