Page 130 - Oscar Adler - Sell Yourself in Any Interview_ Use Proven Sales Techniques to Land Your Dream Job (2008)

SELL YOURSELF IN ANY INTERVIEW

impressive introduction to your skills and benefits during
an interview.
If you are newly out of school, look to professors, intern-
ship sponsors, managers from part-time jobs, and even super-
visors of volunteer programs where you have made a mark.
For more seasoned workers, the bulk of your references
should be professional. Your Aunt Mary may think that you
are the greatest thing since sliced bread, but if she has never
employed you, then her recommendation won’t mean much
to a prospective employer. When you are looking for a job
while still working, it is often difficult or impossible to ask
your current boss for a reference. Now is the time to recon-
nect with past supervisors who know you and appreciate
your work.

MAKE IT EASY FOR YOUR
REFERENCES

When you ask someone to write a letter of reference or rec-
ommendation, they may willingly agree, but in our busy
world, the best intentions can get sidetracked. Writing a ref-
erence is probably not on top of anyone’s “to do” list, and a
week or two may go by without a response, causing critical
delays in your job search.
I propose a different method. Once your reference has
agreed to write a letter of reference or recommendation, say:
“Thanks, I know this is a nuisance, but I think I can make it a
little easier. I don’t want to be presumptuous, but may I e-mail
some of the points you might make? Obviously, you are
welcome to make corrections, deletions, or additions as you
see fit. After I hear back from you, I can put the material

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