So you want to work at Snackbox?

As a business owner, I receive a lot of emails about available positions. And, when I talk about needing specific types of people on Twitter, the numbers double, sometimes triple. So what makes me want to hire a person? And, more importantly, what makes candidates get noticed?

1. Just like your pitch to a reporter, keep your pitch to me succinct and to the point. Why will your employment with my company make MY life easier? How are you going to help build/grow Snackbox with your expertise? Why are MY clients going to love working with you? For us, and really any company, it’s more about what you can do for your company, rather than what your company can do for you.

2. Resumes are BORING. I hate reading through them (probably how a journalist feels about a news release). We’re in a creative industry, so why doesn’t your resume have a personality? And better yet, why didn’t you bullet your relevant experience for me in your email? At the end of the day, show me your creativity and your personality.

3. It’s okay to follow up with me if I don’t respond. But don’t be annoying. I have clients to take care of and a business to run and, no offense, but that’s more important than your resume. Given that, you’re still important to me (if you’re good at what you do). So again, follow up with me just like you would a reporter.

4. If you make the cut and we’re doing a phone interview, come prepared with some questions for me. I’m not looking for an ego stroke. Instead, I’m looking for a smart human being who thinks. Sound easy? A lot of people would disagree.

5. I just spent time reviewing your resume, talking to you on the phone, and we may have even had a face-to-face meeting. All these things take away from billable time and time is money. Thank me! Seriously. And not just me, but the person who introduced us and anyone else that you may have interviewed with.

At the end of the day, don’t be a robot. Show that you’re human, that you have a personality. The better your pitch is, the more personable you are to work with, the faster you’re going to get the job … which coincidentally kind of sounds like the process of pitching a reporter for a client story… and that’s by design. If you prove to me that you’re good at pitching yourself, surely you’re going to be good at pitching for our clients.