This just in: we don’t like spam. Big surprise, I know. In fact, 59 percent of the respondents to a Workplace911 online ballot reported that they hate marketing (a.k.a. spam) on the Internet .
I think it’s a given that most people don’t even glance at spam before deleting it. But are there times when this accepted practice can come back to bite us? What if it’s an e-mail you sent that’s being classified as spam? And what if, heaven forbid, it’s a potential employer trashing your resume as spam? Well, maybe — probably, actually — it’s a sign that your approach to the job search could stand to be tweaked.
The Daily Show had a great interview with an Internet marketer who boasted how he was providing a service to people by marketing products and services on the web. However the marketer’s tone changed when he was asked about people who flood him with emails to protest his marketing efforts. Without a shred of irony, Mr. Spam said how much he personally hates unsolicited emails.
All of this leads to a remarkable discovery that I made two weeks ago. I was sending email and my email program crashed just after I hit sent. I got a message saying that my email may not have reached its intended destination. Because this was an important communiqué, I resent it and added my name to the CC line so I could see if it actually arrived this time.
You probably see where this is headed. I didn’t get the email for two days. Suddenly it dawned on me to look in my spam folder. Yep, you guessed it correctly; my computer determined that an email sent from the person who bought the virus protection program in the first place — me — was spam. Yep, I inadvertently spammed myself. Pretty funny, but it got me thinking about the possible consequences of unintentionally sending spam.
We are all fond of pointing to others about the spam problem that we face. But as my mom used to say, whenever you point a finger at someone else, four fingers point back at you (actually for total accuracy, only three really point back at you, that darn thumb tends to point wherever it is in the mood to point).
Unfortunately most job hunters are spammers at heart. I can’t tell you how many people have written to me through the years to say that they’ve sent out 100 resumes, 500 resumes, even 1,000 resumes. Is this really a job hunt or is this simply spam in a different form ? The reality is, most of these e-mails are probably classified as spam whether they were intended as such or not.
Job hunts should be targeted. Job hunts should be tailored. Job hunts should be rifle shots rather than shot gun blasts.
How can you turn away from spam in your next job hunt? Start by looking in the mirror. Ask hard questions of yourself and what you want to be when you grow up. Next identify a short list of companies that you’d actually want to work for. Keep the list short enough that you’ll have the time to do homework on each one.
How do you escape the trap of sending out spammish emails in a job hunt? By using your network to make personal contacts inside the organizations that you want to work for. So your phone calls or emails are greeted with open arms rather than as a pain. Don’t believe me? Think about the last time someone contacted you who you had never heard of. How excited were you to talk to them. Now think of a time someone called you referred to you by a dear friend. Case closed.
Reverend Ike was one of my favorite spiritual leaders. One of my favorite quotes of his was, “The best way to help the poor is not to be one.” And when it comes to job hunts and spam, the best way to help get a job is to renounce spam and create a job hunt that is targeted and focused.
About the Author: Bob Rosner is a best-selling author and award-winning journalist. For free job and work advice, check out the award-winning workplace911.com. If you have a question for Bob, contact him via bob@workplace911.com.
