Just Say No to Misleading Insurance and Financial Job Advertisements

Every job seeker has experienced the misfortune of getting excited about a job opportunity only to be lured to a group presentation, or even worse a door to door sales job interview. I remember a time when I was fresh out of college and a recruiter from a marketing company called me to arrange an interview. At the conclusion of schedule the interview, the recruiter told me to wear comfortable shoes and hung up. What happened? You guessed it! It was a door to door sales job. I waited too long to say no and wasted several hours of my time.

The insurance and financial industries seem to be full of opportunities that are not as promised. If you have ever worked in a sales, customer service, marketing, or financial industry and you are seeking a job, chances are you’ve been contracted my numerous insurance and financial companies telling you that your resume has been hand-picked for an interview with the hiring manager. In most cases, you will be walking into a group interview/presentation or into a full-commission job where the only qualification you needed to get the job was a heart beat.

The way to avoid misleading insurance and financial job advertisements goes back to a previous blog posting of mine: Do your research and use common sense. My next bit of advice is that you tell these companies immediately that you are not interested and to take you off of their recruitment list. These recruiters are talented and do their job well. They will appreciate you telling them you are not interested because they value their time just as much as you value your time. However, if you give the recruiter any hope that you might be interested, they will become a shark and you will be the wounded bleeding fish. They will devour you. They will get you in for an interview. Just say no!

NOTE: Most insurance and financial firms, even those with the misleading job advertisements, are legitimate companies and do offer legitimate opportunities. I know plenty of people who took the door to door type insurance sales positions and have made a great income. If you have questions about what companies to avoid and how to identify them, feel free to call or email me: Kevin@msacompanies.com 330.572.7540 ext.1700

The Art of the “Thank You” Note

I’ve been asked several questions recently about how to construct a “thank you” note and the specific rules of “thank you” notes as it pertains to thanking companies after they have interviewed an individual. I’ve compiled a few rules and guidelines that will help you write an effective “thank you””note.

The first rule to follow is: SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE! I am often asked “should I send a thank you note?” The answer is always, “YES!” The interviewer or any person in general, won’t object to a “thank you.”

The second question I am often asked is if it is better to email or mail a “thank you”note. I typically suggest doing both. Send a quick “thank you” email within 24 hours of the interview. Then, 24-48 hours after the interview, mail a “thank you” note. This will keep your name in front of the interviewer and is not excessive so long as the “thank you”’s are kept short .

The third question I am asked is what to include in the “thank you” note. Here is what I suggest: “Thank you””email: Keep the email to 2-3 sentences. Let the interviewer know it was nice to meet he or she and make sure to express your interest in the position and desire to move forward in the interviewing process. “Thank you” note: Again, keep the note short. 4-5 sentences will work well. I suggest sitting 2 reasons as to why you feel you would be a great fit for the position. Make sure it is clear that you want the job.

My best advice would be to make sure to send a “thank you” note but don’t worry yourself over what to say or how to word the note. In the history of all hiring decisions, few people either got a job or where eliminated from consideration based on their “thank you” note. The point is that you send a ““Thank you”” note and that you keep your name in front of the interviewer.

Research the Company First!

 I was just reading a NY Dailey News article an Akron company, NSA Technologies, that has been accused of scamming thousands of people out of money by advertising various schemes, such as “Get paid to take surveys online.” The evidence against that company appears weighty and irrefutable. Sadly, companies such as this are far too common and are preying on individuals seeking extra income. There is a way to protect yourself against schemes and illegitimate companies: Use common sense and research!

Use common sense when searching online for jobs or ways to earn extra income. If it seems too good to be true, it is! Getting paid to take surveys online??? Any small amount of common sense should lead you to believe that is not legitimate. Be leery of any job advertisements that included phrases such as “no experience needed. Other things to be leery of our job adds that list a wide rang of income potential; any range greater than 20k is probably not legitimate (example: income = 50-200k). Avoid job advertisements that list only descriptions of why the company is great and exciting and mention nothing about the position itself. Using common sense in the areas listed above will help you avoid scams and illegitimate companies.

Next, it is vital you research any income opportunity or job possibility. A simple search on google.com of NSA Technologies would have brought up pages and pages of negative consumer reports and news articles. Chances are, if someone has had a bad experience or discovered that an income opportunity is not legitimate, they’ve blogged about it online. With that said, almost all legitimate companies have negative comments about their company posted from unhappy individuals, so it is important to way the bad with the good. Doing your research prior to pursuing and job or income opportunity will help keep you safe from scams and illegitimate companies.

Use common sense. Research. Keep yourself safe from illegitimate companies and extra income opportunities.

Visit: http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2008/09/21/2008-09-21_no_easy_money_with_web_promise.html To see the article that inspired my article.