Chapter 2 text 2 How To Make a Good First Impression

You may never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

A simple envelope can set the stage for an employer's first and possible last impression of you as a job candidate. The all-important envelope is the first piece of evidence a potential employer has to gauge your appearance, clarity, attention to detail, and character in approaching an important assignment like finding yourself work.

I used to think individuals applying for a $50,000 to $200,000 position would make certain that the envelopes containing their resumes and letters would be perfect. Was I wrong!

A few years ago, because of a heavy workload and 1,500 resumes sitting on my desk, I began looking at the envelope as a disqualification factor in an effort to save time in the screening process. For two months, we compared candidates to their envelope presentation and a very interesting correlation surfaced. The envelopes turned out to be a direct reflection of their attitude toward such things as neatness, accuracy, and urgency.

Individuals who submitted shabby envelopes actually appeared disorganized in person. Also, people who addressed envelopes with incorrect information and errors had difficulty communicating their specific accomplishments and qualifications.

We continue to test our observations with consistent results. Therefore, more than ever before, we believe in using the envelope as a major tool for initially screening candidates for key positions. In addition to our company, over twenty of our clients now use envelope guidelines to eliminate people for management or sales positions paying over $50,000.

So before you sit down to address your next envelope, consider the following practices that can hinder your chances of landing a high-paying job.

Handwriting envelopes.

A person seeking a $50,000 position should have both the professional attitude and resources to use a typewriter or a word processor to address a neat envelope. Having your children or spouse handwriting envelopes in an effort to save time while responding to multiple job opportunities will not make the grade. Also, poor handwriting can be difficult to read and can result in misinterpretations and errors.

It's simple. Handwritten envelopes don't get a response because they show a lack of initiative and professionalism.

Ignoring errors and misspellings. A great philosopher once stated, "When all else is lost, the one thing they can't take away is your name." That's true until someone misspells it on an envelope. Butchering a name or a job title can be perceived as a lack of respect for the individual and his or her position. Many people who have worked long and hard to achieve the status of vice-president get very sensitive when they are referred to as a manager.

It is a fair assumption that such flagrant errors will only foreshadow your lack of urgency and attention to detail.

Envelopes that have misspellings or incorrect information seldom get a second look.

Using your present company's envelope/stationery. Oh, no! You're a thief. Yes!

Using your present company's envelope will be interpreted as a lack of honesty and discretion. The prospective employer might think, "What else did he or she steal from the company" or "What will he or she steal from us?"

You may think there is good reason for using your company's paper, such as the stationery is obsolete because of a change in logo or each employee is given a quantity for personal use. Unfortunately, you may never get a chance to explain this fact.

Stamping the envelope with your current employer's stamp machine.

This common practice is an issue that also focuses on your discretion because it raises the question, "Is this person financing a job search with his or her present employer's resources?"

Our experience shows that 90 percent of the correspondence we receive on machine-stamped company envelopes and stationery is from people sponsored by outplacement programs. Surely being part of an outplacement program is not necessarily negative, but it will certainly intensify the investigation process to determine why you're not one of the survivors at your present company.

Using stamps or stickers that make an emotional or political statement.

Even a well-respected charity like the United Way has its detractors. A stamp with a United Way slogan could alienate a decision maker whose family or friends may have a negative attitude toward this group. Those return-address stickers or stamps that have an organization's logo or slogan should be saved for holidays, birthdays, or personal mail.

The final knock-down punch can be delivered by those big manila envelopes that don't fit easily into mailboxes. They are hard to open and usually contain a mountain of information that may seem frightening to climb. Plus, did you ever notice how the big envelopes tear and shred the other materials in the mailbox?

Some experts tell candidates to differentiate themselves with big envelopes, but when you aggravate secretary or a mailroom clerk with the cumbersome envelope, that nonstandard envelope may be your one-way ticket to the wastebasket.

You should also be aware that envelopes can remain part of a permanent file. Therefore, they must look professional and clean. Envelopes are often used to tally the number of responses from ads that appear in different newspapers or journals. They can also provide documentation if your potential employer is contacted by an overzealous recruiter who tries to claim placement fee after you've made direct contact.

Remember, that envelope is your personal vehicle for carrying important correspondence to your potential employer. A clean, neatly typed business envelope with a common postal stamp will be your first positive step in gaining an invitation to the tryout.