Responding To "Help Wanted" Ads

Another job-hunter recently asked if our career-coaching guide, “Knock 3 Times,”
available at http://stores.lulu.com/propman01, offered advice on answering Help
Wanted placements in newspapers and magazines. I told him it did, and the two
most important points to remember are to respond to the specific criteria requested,
and to do so by discussing the benefits he brings to the position. For example, if
the advertisement requests “experience,” this is the ideal location to briefly outline
the types of similar work he successfully had performed. For example, “…in my
current position – which I have held for five years – I doubled sales revenues in
my territory.” Or, “…in the two years I have been with XYZ Company, there
have been no ‘lost-time’ accidents recorded. In fact, we received an ‘OSHA
Commendation’ for the on-the-job safety procedures I developed, implemented,
and oversee.” Select the pertinent items outlined in the ad, and make certain you
respond to as many as possible. Keep in mind, these placements represent the
“ideal candidate” in the eyes of the Human Resources person, and don’t necessarily
reflect the wishes or hot buttons of the final decision-maker. Again, this is why
you must research the organization as much as you can, so you can tailor your
benefits to what you know the company is seeking.