As one door closes, another slams in your face.... (go back »)

Naturally, I received a response that the position had been filled. This email came directly from the President of company I applied to. The lousy thing about, however, was that I had received the rejection notice in the form of an autobot response. For such a high level position and after having put on my "A" game on, I antipicated some type of human correspondence issuing me the cut.

In any event, it makes me wonder how a jobseeker really finds opportunity? Between monster.com and the myriad of recruiters out there, one would assume the hunt for employment is more "jobseeker-friendly" than ever. However, I am beginning to believe the opposite. With the onset of job boards via internet and global communication, headhunters and hiring managers believe they the will find the "perfect" applicant somewhere amongst the masses. Before it used to be that the "Ideal Candidate" would be the consummate standard to measure against. But in today's market, that "Ideal Candidate" description has become a steadfast checklist, and by all means if you don't meet each criterion then you are subpar and unworthy of even being given a rejection from a breathing soul. . . .

And then there's the issue of the 100 recruiters who received my resume. Most responded that I do not qualify, but they shall "keep me in the database". Since when is a top-producing salesperson not qualified enough for a salesperson position? Just because I sold Service A and haven't sold Product B shouldn't throw a salesperson out of the running. That is simply a minor detail. Seeking out the exceptional, powerhouse salesperson with NO knowledge on the product is irrefutably a far better choice than finding a candidate who is the expert on Product B, but is merely adequate at best.

Companies, headhunters, and HR managers need to be reminded that SALES IS SALES. Teach the product and it will be sold.

In Rabota