Tag: application

Talent Tip #174: Hiring Horror Stories

October 21, 2025

The Shape-Shifting Applicant

Once upon a dark, stormy job search, a candidate submitted six applications to different roles within 24 hours. His resume was consistent, showing a solid career in marketing, but his cover letters were like something out of a twisted AI experiment. One cover letter painted him as an expert in Congressional rules and procedures, while another claimed significant experience with foundation relations. Then there was the expert in employment law letter, the seasoned major gifts…

Talent Tip #47: Avoid Alka Seltzer with Writing Samples, Tests

July 15, 2013

A while back, a client of mine developed a raging case of heartburn after learning a new hire didn’t have the writing skills the client thought he did.  The employee excelled in other areas, but no Billy Shakespeare was he.

Despite having requested writing samples during the interview process, the organization realized it misjudged the person’s ability to write – a core function of the position. For a while my client downed Alka Seltzer like Pez – until he…

Talent Tip #43: Rejection (Im)Perfection: The Art of Second Chances

March 19, 2013

We’ve all been rejected at some point along the way. Perhaps you got cut from the football team or didn’t make the cheerleading squad.  Maybe you received a thin letter of rejection from your dream school. Or perhaps in college you were shunned by the hot and completely unattainable Dale Beaverman.

No matter what it was, you remember clearly that sting of rejection. It hurts. It’s embarrassing. It’s unsettling. And when it happens, we’re tempted to lash out.

But…

Talent Tip #42: Recommendation Investigations, Your Reputation, Kiss Cams, and My Dream World

February 19, 2013

I know what you’re thinking. How in the Sam Hill is she going to tie all these things together? Well, stay with me.

In the last few weeks, I’ve seen some interesting things transpire related to recommendations, referrals, and references.  It occurs to me that there are three issues we should discuss. Here goes.

1. Recommendation Investigation: Is a Referral Necessarily a Recommendation?  Hiring managers often receive applications that start with lines like this, “My friend John Doe suggested I apply for this role.”…

Talent Tip #37: Mom Knows Best: Proofreed Proofread

September 17, 2012

My mother was an English teacher. Growing up in our house involved lots of mini-grammar lessons, Oxford commas, and endless streams of red ink on papers. It might sound torturous for a kid, but even then I realized how valuable the guidance was.

This is probably why I cringe when I receive a cover letter or résumé with an error. Or two. Or three.

The errors that could have been avoided by using Spell-Check are the ones that drive me to drink.…

Talent Tip #35: Traditions Worth Keeping: Play Like a Champion Today, Bun Runs, and Résumés

July 17, 2012

My beloved alma mater, Notre Dame, is rich with traditions. One of the better known is the tradition of football players slapping the “Play Like a Champion Today” sign in the locker room as they head out to the field. Yeah, yeah…maybe the sign has been broken the last few years.

One of my favorite displays of Notre Dame tradition comes at the end of football games when students put their arms around each other and sway as they sing the alma…

Talent Tip #27: Talking Turkey: Determining an Appropriate Salary Range

November 15, 2011

Whew! Last month’s tip about providing requested salary information inspired a lot of great feedback! It’s going to take several months to get to all the great ideas, but let me start with the most common question I received: how does one determine an appropriate salary range?

Yikes. That’s like answering, how do you fall in love? Hell, if I know!

I jest. However, determining one’s salary isn’t something you can easily calculate with a simple formula. Rather, it’s a very subjective, imperfect…

Talent Tip #18: We Need More Lloyd Doblers

February 15, 2011

Do you remember Say Anything? (Note to Millennials: it’s a classic. If you haven’t seen it, do so immediately if not sooner.) The main character – Lloyd Dobler – has passion. And he makes his passion known to those who matter. Ultimately, it is his passion that lands him the girl.

As I review dozens of cover letters and introductory emails each day, I long for more Lloyds. Candidates’ banal letters leave me wondering if they are truly passionate about…