On The Job: From Paper To Pro Page 6

Deb Shinder

Your Professional Presentation

this includes the
manner in which you present yourself, whether in person, online, over the phone,
or on paper. Those “little extras” are what make you stand out and get
the (positive) attention of the hiring authority. For example:

• If sending printed
  material, use a high quality paper stock. What does that have to do with
  your qualifications to do the job? Nothing. Again, it shows that you care.
  Caring is something employers look for in potential employees.

• Make sure your answering
  machine greeting is professional. More than once, I’ve heard of an
  employer calling a candidate back for a job interview, only to be put
  off by an offensive “humorous” message on the machine. When
  you’re in the job market, you must present a professional image on all
  fronts if you want to increase your chances of being hired.

• Ask yourself what image
  is projected by your email address? Like it or not, an AOL address, to
  many IT professionals, screams “obnoxious know-nothing.” This
  may not be fair, but it’s the way it is. There are legitimate
  reasons for using AOL’s service (for instance, if you live in an area
  where there are no local ISPs). However, there are numerous free email
  redirector services that will provide you with a “better”

  address and redirect the mail sent to that address to your AOL mailbox.
  It goes without saying that you should not select one of the
  remailers that uses “cutesy” domain names, such as
  blinddrunk.com or psychofreak.net. Also, consider not just the domain
  name but the user name you’ve chosen for your email account. Does
  hotchick@mailserver.com or bigstud@ mailserver.net really project
  the image you want out there when you’re looking for a job?

• Another “little
  thing” that can make a positive or negative impression is the way
  you choose to sign your name. I know you’re proud of all those
  hard-earned certifications – and you have the right to be. But please,
  please, please, don’t include them all in your signature. “Joe
  Blow, A+, Net+, MCP, MCP+I, MCSE, MCSE+I, MCT, CNA, CNE, CCNA, CCNP,
  CCIE ad naseum” just reeks of “paper.” It’s like the new
  rookie cop who plasters “Police R Us” bumper stickers all over
  his car and flashes his badge everywhere he goes. Simply, it’s bad
  taste. Put all those nice certs on your risumi, but for your sig line,
  choose one or at the most two that are most relevant to the position(s)
  for which you’re applying.

• Pay close attention to
  the “photographic evidence.” If you enclose a picture with
  your risumi or on your job-related website, make it a photo that shows
  you in a professional pose and dress. Although some men make the mistake
  of using a snapshot taken when they were wearing a Budweiser tee shirt
  and baseball cap, this is an area where women more often violate the
  “unwritten rules.” Glamour photos are popular and nice for the
  ego, but heavy makeup, fluffed up hair and low-cut ballgowns are not
  appropriate dress for a job interview, and they’re not appropriate for a
  risumi photo, either (unless you’re applying for a very different kind
  of job).