Thursday, August 28, 2008

Wrong way to apply for a job

I know we all receive "cold call" letters from people looking for jobs. I do not know what kind of employment agencies advise people to send these to a CEO, in that the letters are usually not in response to open positions and generally are not attuned to the needs of the organization. And we all have websites now that list open jobs and encourage people to apply using that vehicle, which, by the way, is a major source of recruitments. But you can't fault people for trying in their own way.

But, every now and then, one comes in that is worthy of note. This one came by email today, with no personalized salutation. Something tells me that a person seeking a job in the security field is using the wrong medium if he is seeking a job through broadcast emails!

As a Director of Security Operations, I led investigative teams, uncovering fraud and real and potential threats to personnel and assets. Also, I designed and conducted training courses increasing security awareness.

My strengths include emergency planning and response, loss prevention, counter-terrorism, and I am knowledgeable of on-going issues relating to enforcement of ITAR regulations. I exposed internal corruption for one of my employers saving $300M and secured an at-risk facility in Honduras. For another employer, I identified $4M in inventory losses and implemented a preventive program.

I have posted a short version of my resume and welcome your response.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well the BIDMC Police have that great SUV, bikes, and motorcycles... a good foundation for an anti-terrorism task force... maybe you should hire this guy!

Anonymous said...

Priceless! With all that is going on today with Blackwater and other security agencies, you'd think this guy would have more covert means to secure a job.

Stephanie said...

I have a friend who works in HR and sends me the MOST HILARIOUS cover letters I've ever heard. I'm trying to convince her to start a blog! BTW, I totally borrowed your Michael Phelps cartoon for my site as I was writing about gender predictors and it seemed to fit.

Look forward to keeping up with your blog!

Sterling Silver said...

So in so many words, this guy is telling you that he is Captain Save America. Come on, who would really send this in a cover letter. For one, if you and your organization was corrupt, you definitely wouldn't want to hire him. Also, he seems to be too full of himself. I mean he has ALL this experience and talent and can't seem to find a job? Seems pretty darn suspicious to me.

Nabeel said...

well. sure many people don't know how to apply for a job effectively .. but many employers don't know how to take an interview. I mean I hate the question, "What is your weakness" .. and "If you were to put two things in a bag describing your personality, what would they be?" ... huh .. a Jack Daniels and a Gun!

Screwed Up Texan said...

To the blog author:

What is YOUR recommendation for effectively applying for a position?

No, I dont think the guy is too full of himself...rather, he sounds confident. I suppose it is a matter of opinion, but if you gave him an interview, then you'd find out for sure by his demeanor.

Perhaps you should take him up on that he "welcome(s) your response" and see why he posted for a nonadvertised position and what he thought he would get out of it.

Anonymous said...

Allie,

Blind letters like this are useless, especially to the CEO. There are not enough hours in the week for me to interview all the people who do this. Beside, I don't make hiring decisions for most of the jobs in the hospital. The way to apply for a job is simple: See what jobs are open and then apply.

Anonymous said...

If you have a cover letter template, you're doing it wrong. Drag it to the trash can and empty. If you really want the job, check out the agency. Write - I just saw the amazing work you did for Lowe's and I want to be a part of it. Understand the agency's position in the marketplace. Know their work. Tell them how you can add value in the year ahead.