Impress employers with this 1 compelling tool. - Hire Imaging

Impress employers with this 1 compelling tool. - Hire Imaging A smart job seeker in today’s economy has the opportunity to create and use an innovative, powerful communication tool in job transition. It can be sent along with your resume and cover letter. Here’s how to use it to maximize your results! Think about the books you read Grab a few of your favorite books. Look on the back covers. You’ll see short testimonials, often just a few sentences in length. What’s the impact? They each support the book, and persuade potential readers to read it!  This is what you can do with a reference portfolio. It’s a one-page document with four to six testimonials that will acclaim your value and entice hiring professionals to want to know youâ€"and hire you! Testimonials backup your credibility in a recession economy Unfortunately, hiring folks are used to job candidates exaggeratingâ€"even lying on their resumes. In reality, many expect it in a tough economy, because so many take desperate measures to get noticed. I’m not assuming you do this. But if you’re well matched to the job, why not help seal the deal by letting others sing your praises? Use it to reduce the skepticism with which a hiring person might read your resume. The professional references with testimonials in your portfolio will substantiate the successes and contributions you have on your resume. Whether you are a new grad, a professional in a progressive career path or a career changer, include references who can attest to your performance and ability to produce results that contribute to organizational needs. Control their endorsements Once you’ve chosen and verified that four to six people will endorse you, try this unique approach, as suggested from my long-time mentor, Jay Block. Write the statements yourself!   If you think about, celebrities don’t write copy for the products they endorse. So, why not write your own testimonialâ€"pertinent to that relationship and situation of course? Write it, and then send it to your references. They can review it and make any edits they feel warranted. Most companies are unwilling to provide references on company letterhead. However, your references may well be willing to do so on YOUR list; and using a personal email or phone number. You’ve just accomplished the customized messages of your choice; but with full input and approval from the references! It also saves the references time, which enables your getting buy-in and a timely response! Ask your references to keep a copy on file, so they can easily refer to it should a prospective employer contact them. Although I advocate the above approach, if writing the endorsements yourself is not for you, don’t panic; asking your references to write them can work too. In this sample reference portfolio, the first and last testimonials were from the heart by the references. The others were heavily edited to add things the candidate was too humble to include. Get it out there If you are emailing your resume and cover letter, put them into one file, with the cover letter first, the resume next, and the reference portfolio as the last page. One attachment shows consideration for the hiring person on the other end. Bonus Tip: Another great idea from Jay Block is to add this P.S. at the bottom of your cover letter. Bold it so that it stands out and conveys a positive confidence to prospective employers. “PS: I have included my reference portfolio to assure you that the information and achievements contained on my resume are truthful and accurate.