Dark Secret to Getting Knock-out Recommendations Finally Revealed
By Randal Breaux
All of us know one
or two people who aren't particularly good at what they do, and yet they
always seem to be the ones who get ahead in life. They advance, while
everyone else has to sit and watch.
It wouldn't be so
infuriating if they were the most deserving - the most intelligent, the
most skilled, or the most hard-working. But it never seems to work out
that way.
The simple fact of
the matter is that it takes two types of skills to get ahead in the world
today: the ability to do a good job and - what is becoming increasingly
important - the ability to land a good opportunity in the first place.
Unfortunately for most of us, our teachers only taught us how to perform
well; they didn't spend a whole lot of time showing us how to stake our
claims - how to make sure we get the credit, rewards, and opportunities
we deserve. That was supposed to be automatic.
Well, it's not!
It's a jungle everywhere!
Throughout your life, you can expect that you will be out there too -
over and over again - fighting for your place in the world. It's not enough
to be another good also-ran; successful candidates know they must stand
out in a crowded field. They must get noticed before they can ever hope
to get offers.
That's why letters
of recommendation are more important now in the job search process than
ever before - often more important than your resume. If you've ever been
involved in hiring, then you know it doesn't take long before all those
resumes start sounding alike. Resume after resume - the whole pile starts
to become a blur.
Letters of recommendation
are different. Hard-hitting, objective opinions from real-life professionals
that have actually worked with you can communicate more about what you
offer than you could ever get across in a resume... that is, if you can
get the right letter.
PROBLEM: Getting good
recommendation letters isn't easy - even when you deserve them!
People are often reluctant
to write letters of recommendation - even when you are more than deserving.
Why? Well, a typical excuse is that they are too busy. After all, doing
a letter of recommendation can take some time - especially if you don't
do them often.
Even so, often lack
of time is just an excuse; it isn't the real reason why most people don't
like writing recommendation letters. A more common - and more embarrassing
- reason managers are reluctant to write reference letters is that they
don't think they can do a good job. In fact, they fear that a letter they
write will be so bad that it will make them look unprofessional, and you
and the person receiving your letter will lose respect for them and the
organizations they represent.
Of course, they won't
tell you that; you just won't ever get your letter.
Clearly, though, some
people have figured this out. They are able to secure the kinds of letters
that opportunities the rest can only dream of.
How do they do it?
- Are they just better than everyone else?
- Do they work harder?
- Are they smarter or better educated?
In the vast majority
of cases, the answers to these questions are no, no, and no!
They're not better
or smarter; they just know the secret.
Their approach is
as simple as it is effective: They write their letters of recommendation
themselves!
You've probably seen
glowing letters of recommendation that...
- get people to stand up and take notice
- impress recruiters and colleagues
- provide the most effective competitive edge available in the war for
fast-track opportunities!
Am I saying that these
letters are essentially just advertising - as biased as anything else
- written by the candidates themselves?
Yes! That's exactly
what I am saying, and for a very good reason... it's absolutely true!
It's the dirty little secret that all the most successful candidates already
know.
Now think about this:
How can you possibly compete without doing the same thing yourself?
The answer is: you
can't!
If you are serious
about landing the kind of opportunities you really deserve in today's
competitive environment, then you have no option... you must take the
initiative. It takes real nerve to write your own letter of recommendation
for someone else to sign, but it's the way the real movers and shakers
make things happen. About the Author For sure-fire tips on how to convince recommenders to use recommendation
letters you've written for yourself - plus free sample letters, templates,
and strategies - visit my Letter of Recommendation Site
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/21004.html
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