Your email in which you “applied” for an internship or job opportunity got deleted… and that might be good. The initial reaction to the prospect of your thoughtful, carefully crafted message to a business owner or hiring manager being summarily dismissed with a touch of the Delete key might be dismay or even disgust. “How rude of him to not even acknowledge my email,” you might think. But if you expect a prompt reply (or a reply at all) to an unsolicited email from someone who does not know you, chances are you will be disappointed.
Testing 1, 2, 3
One question asked frequently about personal branding is how to stand out when so many people have similar credentials (e.g., skills and education). On paper, much of the competition looks the same. The answer to standing out is not cosmetic- bright colored font or paper is just that- cosmetic. Think of how you can differentiate your brand by focusing on intangibles. An intangible that many employers are evaluating in this very scenario of email correspondence is persistence. Are you really hungry and driven to pursue this opportunity, or are you making a halfhearted effort to send résumés to a long list of companies?
The silence on the other end could be a test of your desire.Tim Earnhart, founder of Werkshop Branding, often receives unsolicited résumés from college students interested in an internship. Earnhart’s procedure for handling such inquiries is:
- 1st inquiry- Delete without reading
- 2nd inquiry- Read email, review résumé, and delete
- 3rd inquiry- Reply to sender, giving feedback to the inquiry.
According to Earnhart, an easy way for applicants to stand out is to send that second and third inquiry. Why? Most people give up after the first email they send, showing no persistence in demonstrating their desire for an opportunity to work at Werkshop Branding.
Pass the Persistence Test
Pursuing an internship or job today is easier than ever before because of electronic communications, namely email and job websites. Résumés can be distributed widely and often are sent with little customization by the sender to articulate a fit between applicant and organization. You may not think it is fair or professional, but an employer wants to learn as much about you before committing resources to hire and train you, Testing your persistence is one way intangible attributes can be evaluated. I am not suggesting that persistence in the form of follow-up emails or phone calls is a substitute for required skills or experience, but persistence is a trait you can demonstrate that is hard to convey on a résumé. In short, you may taking a test without even being aware, but you have to pass the Persistence Test.
Be different by being persistent.
Photo Credit: Ervins Strauhmanis, Creative Commons License 2.0
