Regarding yesterday's post...

So I'm looking for another gig and part of that process are the inevitable rejection letters..

Some of them are clearly form letters while others are individually tailored. I don't have a preference for either.

Yesterday I got something that I thought was hilarious.

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Hi Joe,

I would like to thank you for applying for the position here at XYZ. Although you could certainly bring a lot to XYZ, we are pursuing other candidates that fit our needs more closely. We enjoyed reading your resume and we wish you the best in your job search.

By the way, if you know anyone who might be interested in learning more about our company, then we will present you with a $500 bonus for each referral who becomes a client - perhaps a family member or friend who is involved in sales, marketing or management. Just ask them to watch this sample movie at something or other URL.

I know that this sounds weird, but it might be an easy way to earn some quick cash without much effort.

I wish you the best. Take care.

Stephanie

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Ok, first of all I don't know this person who may (or may not) have reviewed my resume and then responded with this note.

If I did know her then the request might seem less strange. But still.

I found it in massively poor taste to ask me to send out their URL to anyone and everyone I know.

Here's why:

- If it is an easy way to make quick cash then why doesn't she send the URL out to her entire network? After all she's better positioned to explain what their value proposition is.

-What is the value proposition of this organization? That wasn't articulated in her note and we haven't chatted so how would I know?

-Of all the bios on the "About" section only one person appears to have a role that is not biz development orientated, seems to me if you're asking a person who's applied for a job that isn't a biz dev role to drum up business for you in a rejection letter through their network your sales force is doing a poor job.

-Finally, isn't it just really stupid to ask a person you rejected via a form letter to promote the company to their associates? It seems, well, inappropriate and wrong.

Incidentally, this was how I responded:

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Hi Stephanie,

Hmm, that's an interesting "thanks but no thanks" response.

I have to wish you best of luck with your efforts because I've never quite seen anything like this before.

When Malcolm Gladwell contacts me to write a chapter for the next addition of "The Tipping Point" I will be using this as example in the chapter where we cover the "stickiness" factor in advertising.

With your permission of course.

Kind Regards,

-Joe Tysoe

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So, I don't think she got the joke, since Malcolm Gladwell posits in the Tipping Point that to spread your message you need "Connectors", "Mavens", "Sticky messaging" and "Context" to successfully create awareness around your value proposition.

Connectors are folks who are widely associated with many people, Mavens are subject matter experts, Sticky messaging is a message that catches and keeps a persons attention longer than usual and Context of course is where & how a person will receive the info.

Obviously the sales folks they have aren't doing their job as Connectors if they need to rely on the networks of rejected candidates, they must be poor Mavens if they can't (or don't) articulate the value proposition of their service (which, ironically enough is a high value added ROI tool for marketing !), Sticky messaging? Well she did get my attention, as for their other strategic efforts to market their "value added marketing tool"? who knows .. And naturally the context was totally inappropriate.

At anyrate here was her response:

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Run that by Mike Jingozian, CEO. At the very least he’ll be intrigued and want to talk further which could be good for all parties.

Stephanie

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Jeez Stephanie, good idea. I think I will reach out to Mike.

On that note, I'll let you all know how that goes.