Polite Persistence

Have you ever been to Las Vegas?  If you have my guess is that you may have gone to a casino?  When you went, how long did you play for?  How many tables did you sit at? 

Five minutes or so?  You played one hand and then you were out of there?    

I didn't think so. 

If you decided to gamble, than I'm pretty confident you made an evening of it at the least.  You probably played several different hands at several different tables – trying your luck at a variety of different games.  You did that because you wanted to win – and you understood that the probability of winning playing just one hand was slim to none. 

This makes sense right?  Than why do 80% of the Sales Professionals in the world quit after the first call?  Another 5% quit after the second! 

With the volumes of candidates looking for work, a job search in today's market is more similar than we would like to believe to gambling in Vegas.  We are all Sales People, and were trained that it is activity, numbers, and persistence that ultimately secures one's success.  So, then why aren't we consistent?  Why is ONE unreturned call suddenly a personal attack or sign of complete disregard of professionalism?   Why do 80% give up?

The more you can continually think of the job search as a sales process the more successful you will be.  If you are looking for a job you are ultimately, working….You are selling yourself.  Last year I read an article that stated an average job search takes 6-9 months.  That 6-9 months, is probably a bit longer in this market….that time is your sales cycle.  Send your resume not once, but as many times as it takes to get noticed.  Be creative.  Make an Impact…..  Persist Politely. 

Remember, it is business, not personal.  If companies are not getting back to you, keep trying.  Hiring managers are receiving an unprecedented amount of resumes daily.  Sending your resume once and expecting a call back is no different than flying to Vegas on the Red Eye, sitting down at the Craps Table, rolling the die once and expecting to leave a millionaire. 

This job search may be the most important deal of your life.  Don't forget the basics.   Persist politely…. 80% of your competition is flying home…