The Absolute Worst Way to Find a Job

I got this email over the weekend.

Hi,

I would like to take the opportunity and apply for the position. I have 9 years of Customer/IT Technical Support Experience. I’m fluent in English both Oral/Written. I can easily adapt to my environment. I have 5 years of experience in Retail as a Visual Merchandiser/Fashion Consultant/Supervisor for an international brand. I’m good at people management as well as store management. 

Thank you,

It was signed, but I have not included the signature here because I don’t want to embarrass the sender any more than he already has.

This email went to 445 people.

Let’s take a look at what’s wrong.

• “Hi” is not an appropriate salutation for this type of email.
• This person want to apply for “the position.”  I have no positions available.
• I am not a retailer.

This person has branded himself as lazy in my book.  My friend JT O’Donnell, founder of Career HMO. calls his approach to job hunting “spray and pray.”  This guy sprayed his resume all over the internet and is praying for a job.  He’ll never get one this way.

If you want to land a job do these three things….

1. Identify how you can help a company achieve its goals.
2. Identify the companies where you would like to work.
3. Use your network to get you connected to people in those companies.

Never insult people by sending an email like the one above.

Your career mentor,

Bud

PS: You can download a copy of my popular book Your Success GPS at www.budbilanich.com/you-success-gps.  When you do, I’ll begin sending you daily motivational quotes and give you a free basic membership in my career mentoring site.