Student's Bold Cover Letter Gets Surprising Results

A business communication instructor would not likely advise a student to write "feed you a line of crapp [sic]" in a cover letter, but for one student, the approach seemed to get good results.

Calling your university "average," offering to "fetch coffee," and admitting to having no "special skills"- these are not compelling reasons to hire a job candidate. But the letter has been forwarded among colleages at financial firms, and the comments are positive. Some call it one of the best cover letters they have ever seen. Wow.

The email comments are surprising, with investment banking managers apparently chomping at the bit to interview the student. Still, I can't say that I'll encourage students to use phrases like "would love nothing more than to learn from your tutelage." Tutelage?

Discussion Starters:

• What's your reaction to the cover letter?
• Why would banks, as traditionally conservative companies, be interested in meeting this student?
• What risks are you willing to take with your own employment communications? What would you consider over-the-top?

Resume Trouble for Yahoo's CEO

Did Scott Thompson purposely misrepresent his degree on his resume, or was it, as he says, an "inadvertent error"? In a recent regulatory filing, Thompson's qualifications included a Bachelor's degree in accounting and computer science from Stonehill College. However, Stonehill didn't start its computer science program until the early 1980s, and the school's records indicate that Thompson earned a"Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration (Accounting)" on May 20, 1979. This major also is conveyed on Stonehill's website:

Daniel S. Loeb, hedge fund manager, wrote a letter to the Yahoo board of directors, calling for Thompson's termination.

Yahoo is at a crucial point now and is relying on Thompson to move the company forward. According to The Wall Street Journal, someone close to the company said, "Maintaining him as CEO of Yahoo at this time is more important than whether he had a computer science degree or not."

In response to the controversy, Yahoo issued this statement: 

"Scott Thompson's degree at Stonehill College was in bachelor science in accounting. There was an inadvertent error that stated Mr. Thompson also holds a degree in computer science. This, in no way, alters that fact that Mr. Thompson is a highly qualified executive with a successful track record leading large consumer technology companies. Under Mr. Thompson's leadership, Yahoo! is moving forward to grow the company and drive shareholder value."

 Thompson also sent an email to Yahoo employees, trying to keep everyone "focused":

Update: Thompson has resigned. He also told the Board that he has thyroid cancer. 

Discussion Starters:

• How do you assess the controvery over Thompson's resume: career-ending misrepresentation, innocent mistake, or something else?
• If you were a member of Yahoo's Board of Directors, how would you handle the situation?

World's Longest Rejection Letter

How would you like to get a 3,000-word rejection letter with a "42-point plan to help job seekers"? If you were one of 900 applicants for a writing job at Salon.com, you may have received it. 

Sean Gunther, the author of the rejection letter, thought he was being helpful, but the letter is long and confusing. For starters, it's unclear whether the receiver was rejected. It isn't until the end of the second paragraph that readers are told (sort-of) where they stand: "Those of you who are passed into the second round of consideration will be hearing from us soon, if you haven't been contacted by us already."

In an article, "Here's How to Condescend to 900 Job Applicants With a 3,000-Word Rejection Letter, " Gawker blasted the email as "arrogant" and called the writer worse names. 

Gunther responsed to Gawker's criticism by saying that some applicants appreciated his advice. He quotes the following from one of the applicants: 

"I read your email this morning, and to be honest, I was a little irritated at first. I didn't particularly want to know that there were 900+ applicants for the position. The email looked lengthy, and I wasn't sure where you were going to go with it. For sure, it didn't say that I was hired.

"I gradually realized that this is the sort of advice that every writer looking for work should read. I don't think I made many of the mistakes that it mentioned, but I do I wish I had read it years ago. It's also a rare thing that people applying for work should get anything out of it at all, especially something so useful."

Gunther defends his letter compared to other rejection letters: 

'Applicants learn nothing about their approach when the only response they receive is 'Thanks for applying, but the position has been filled.'"

Discussion Starters: 

• What do you think of Gunther's approach? How do you think you would feel if you received the letter? 
• Read the entire letter, including his suggestions. Which are useful, and which are not? 
• Considering that the letter caused some hard feelings, what could have been a better approach, if Gunther sincerely wanted to help job applicants?

Study Compares Honesty on LinkedIn Profiles and Resumes

A new Cornell University study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking reveals that undergraduates are more accurate in describing work experience on their LinkedIn profile than on their resume. However, they are more deceptive in describing their hobbies.

The public nature of LinkedIn makes it easy to verify falsifications. Imagine connecting with your previous boss on the site, only for her to see a  job title that doesn't exist or responsibilities you didn't do. This is good news for employers wanting to check applicants' resumes and may be one reason that 48% of employers say they do so before making a hiring decision.

But according to Jamie Guillory, the study's lead author, students on LinkedIn "still found ways to make themselves look better" and took more liberties when describing hobbies, which are harder to verify. About 92% of students exaggerated or omitted information at least once on LinkedIn or their resumes, with students making these decisions an average of three times.

Discussion Starters and Assignment Ideas:

• Are you more truthful on your LinkedIn profile than on your resume? In what ways?
• Where you we cross the line between exaggerations and lies? What would you consider unethical? Give a few examples to explain your thinking.
• Identify any potential exaggerations or omissions on either your LinkedIn profile or on your resume. What are the potential consequences if this information is discovered to be false? In retrospect, is it worth the risk?
• Swap resumes with a partner. Choose a few items-work experience, activities, or interests-and interview each other. Ask specific, pointed questions to try to verify the information. Do you uncover any potential issues with how the information is described? What, if anything, will you change on your resume as a result of this process?

Facebook Profiles Predict Job Performance?

According to one study, a person's Facebook page can predict job performance more accurately than some personality tests. For the study, conducted by Northern Illinois University, the University of Evansville, and Auburn University, one faculty member and two students looked at Facebook profiles of 56 undergraduate students.

The Wall Street Journal summarizes the results:

"After spending roughly 10 minutes perusing each profile, including photos, wall posts, comments, education and hobbies, the raters answered a series of personality-related questions, such as 'Is this person dependable?' and 'How emotionally stable is this person?'

"Six months later, the researchers matched the ratings against employee evaluations from each of the students' supervisors. They found a strong correlation between job performance and the Facebook scores for traits such as conscientiousness, agreeability and intellectual curiosity.

"Raters generally gave favorable evaluations to students who traveled, had more friends and showed a wide range of hobbies and interests. Partying photos didn't necessarily count against a student; on the contrary, raters perceived the student as extroverted and friendly, says Don Kluemper, the lead researcher and a professor of management at Northern Illinois University."

Although employers may be intrigued about using Facebook as a screening tool, lawyers caution against making decisions that could be perceived as discriminatory. This is particularly an issue because employers can easily determine sex, race, religious beliefs, age, and other factors on a Facebook profile.

This is a small study, but the findings are interesting and may lay the groundwork for more research.

Discussion Starters:

• Do you agree with the study findings? Why or why not?
• How do you think a prospective employer would view your Facebook profile?
• In addition to potential discrimination claims, what are other reasons that employers may want to avoid looking at applicants' Facebook profiles?

Boastful NYU Cover Letter Makes the Rounds

An NYU student's cover letter to JPMorgan has gotten more than a few laughs. Mark is an accomplished young man, but his approach to getting a summer job didn't win any offers-yet.

Bench pressing double his body weight, among other skills, are viewed as over-the-top by the many, many people who have read Mark's cover letter. Business Insider traced the email forwards through Barclay's, PWC, Citi, and other companies.

1/23/2012

J.P. Morgan

Dear Sir or Madame:

I am an ambitious undergraduate at NYU triple majoring in Mathematics, Economics, and Computer Science. I am a punctual, personable, and shrewd individual, yet I have a quality which I pride myself on more than any of these.

I am unequivocally the most unflaggingly hard worker I know, and I love self-improvement. I have always felt that my time should be spent wisely, so I continuously challenge myself; I left Villanova because the work was too easy. Once I realized I could achieve a perfect GPA while holding a part-time job at NYU, I decided to redouble my effort by placing out of two classes, taking two honors classes, and holding two part-time jobs. That semester I achieved a 3.93, and in the same time I managed to bench double my bodyweight and do 35 pull-ups.

I say these things only because solid evidence is more convincing than unverifiable statements, and I want to demonstrate that I am a hard worker. J.P. Morgan is a firm with a reputation that precedes itself and employees who represent only the best and rightest in finance. I know that the employees in this firm will push me to excellence, especially within the Investment Banking division. In fact, one of the supporting reasons I chose Investment Banking over any other division was that I know it is difficult. I hope to augment my character by diligently working for the professionals at Morgan Stanley, and I feel I have much to offer in return.

I am proficient in several programming languages, and I can pick up a new one very quickly. For instance, I learned a years worth of Java from NYU in 27 days on my own; this is how I placed out of two including: Money and Banking, Analysis, Game Theory, Probability and Statistics. Even further, I am taking Machine Learning and Probabilistic Graphical Modeling currently, two programming courses offered by Stanford, so that I may truly offer the most if I am accepted. I am proficient with Bloomberg terminals, excellent with excel, and can perform basic office functions with terrifying efficiency. I have plenty of experience in the professional world through my internship at Merrill Lynch, and my research assistant position at NYU. In fact, my most recent employer has found me so useful that he promoted me to a Research Assistant and an official CTED intern. This role is usually reserved for Masters students, but my employer gave the title to me so that he could give me more work.

Please realize that I am not a braggart or conceited, I just want to outline my usefulness. Egos can be a huge liability, and I try not to have one.

Thank you so much for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Mark

Read more questionable emails and cover letters: 12 of the worst cover letters received by Business Insider.

Discussion Starters:

• Do you find Mark's letter inappropriate, too boastful, or something else? Isn't moxy a good thing?
• What advice would you give Mark so that he can revise his cover letter?
• How do you assess the 12 cover letters posted by Business Insider? Which do you think is the worst and why?

Twitter's Funny Viral Recruiting Video

During "Hack Week" at Twitter, employees work in teams to test new tools and make Twitter easier to use. The program encourages innovation and, this year, resulted in a parody of corporate recruiting videos that garnered almost 600,000 views within four days.

 Ian Padgham, a member of Twitter's design team, explains the inspiration for the video:

"Recruiting videos are the worst. Jeremy and I decided to make the worst possible video ever, since there was no way to make a good one. Knowing that #HackWeek was coming up, we wanted to have fun and embrace the awesome creative environment you find at Twitter."

Padgham may have a point. Corporate recruiting videos try to lure candidates, but many end up hokey and fake.

Discussion Starters:

• How similar is Twitter's joke video to the recruiting videos you've seen?
• Have you seen any good recruiting videos? What do you like about them?
• How can companies improve their recruiting videos? Or are they doomed?

Interns: Big Job Opportunities with Facebook and other Companies

Failing to hire and retain enough full-time employees, several technology companies are hiring more interns. Dropbox, for example, will hire three times as many interns this summer as last, and interns will make up one-third of the company's engineering team. Google will hire more than a thousand interns this summer, while Facebook plans to hire 625.

According to a Wall Street Journal article, with the "try before you buy" philosophy, many companies are stepping up their intern programs and offering $10,000 for the summer-not a bad cushion for the upcoming fall semester. As a new strategy, venture capitalist firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is now recruiting Engineering Fellows for its clients.

The encouraging news about increased intern hiring, as most students know, is the increased probability of a full-time offer. As a representative of Google says, most of its interns receive full-time offers.

(Image source: WSJ, "Tom Greany, 23, a full-time software engineer at Bump Technologies, was originally a summer intern at the company.")

Discussion Starters:

• How are you approaching your intern search? What has worked successfully for you, and where do you need help improving your prospects?
• What are the possible disadvantages of accepting a full-time offer with a company where you interned after junior year?

Wall Street Firms Get "Chilly Reception" at Top Schools

Are the Occupy Wall Street protests having an effect on college recruiting? According to a Bloomberg Businessweek article, Goldman Sachs has cancelled some campus visits, including one to Harvard last week. Protesters, such as this group in downtown New York, have been targeting Goldman, asking the investment bank to pay more taxes (among other demands). The Occupy Harvard group was active in November, as shown in this video:

The Bloomberg article paints a picture of "strained friendships" about the issue, with some students protesting recruiting sessions, while others come to learn about job opportunities.

Goldman Sachs has been quiet about the Occupy movement, while Morgan Stanley denies any serious ramifications from the Occupy protestors. A spokesperson for the firm said, "We have not changed our recruitment activities, and we have not seen any impact on attendance." But a Harvard Crimson survey tells a different story:

About 22 percent of Harvard 2011 graduates who planned to enter the workforce were headed into finance and consulting, down from a high of 47 percent in 2007, according to a Harvard Crimson survey published in May. Half the students entering those fields said they would have chosen to work in other professions if salary weren't a concern.

Discussion Starters:

• In what ways could the Occupy movement affect your search for a job in business?  
• What do you think of Goldman Sachs' no-response strategy to the Occupy movement? How do you assess Morgan Stanley's response?

How Not to Get a Job: Hack Into a Company's System

A Hungarian man wanted a job so badly that he hacked into Marriott's computer system and threatened to release confidential information unless he got hired. To discover the identity of the man, a Secret Service agent posed as a Marriott HR representative, and the company booked a flight for the hacker to come for an interview.

Of course, the interview wasn't what the hacker, Attila Nemeth, expected. On Wednesday, Nemeth pleaded guilty and now faces up to 15 years in prison. Marriott is not unscathed either: the company estimates spending between $400,000 and $1 million in consultants' fees, employees' salaries, and other expenses to solve the crime.

Discussion Starters:

• Review the ethical decision-making guidelines in Chapter 1. In addition to the illegality, what tells you that Nemeth's behavior is unethical?
• Some people will do anything to avoid a behavioral interview. What are some behavioral interview questions that might be appropriate for an IT professional?

Employer Backlash: "I will never hire a Penn Stater"

Among the many online letters to the editor of Penn State's Daily Collegian is a sharp backlash from a potential employer. Some worry that Penn State students may have difficulty finding jobs because of the recent sexual abuse scandal and riots.

In an open letter on Penn State's website, the senior director of career services provides guidance to students during the job search and encourages employers to keep an open mind.

Discussion Starters:

• Do you agree with employers who may resist hiring Penn State students? Why or why not?
• What is the best way for Penn State students to address questions from prospective employers? Do you find Jeff Garvis's advice in the letter helpful?
• In Garvis's letter, which arguments do you find most and least convincing for employers? 
• If you look closely at Garvis's letter, you see what look like font changes within the paragraph that starts "Students may acknowledge." [Download] If these are editorial changes, why do you think they were made? Do they improve the message?

College Students Value Social Media Access at Work (Some More than Salary)

Employers, take note: according to a new Cisco study,"The ability to use social media, mobile devices, and the Internet more freely in the workplace is strong enough to influence job choice, sometimes more than salary." The New Workplace Currency report, which surveyed 2,800 students and young professionals, gives clear guidance to employers who want to recruit top talent.

Fast Company reports,

According to the report, 40% of college students and 45% of young professionals would accept lower-paying jobs if they had more access to social media, more choice in the devices they could use at work, and more flexibility in working remotely. More than half of the college students surveyed indicated that if an employer banned access to networks like Facebook at work, "they would either not accept a job offer from them or would join and find a way to circumvent."

The report is interesting but not all that surprising, is it?  

Discussion Starters:

• What is most and least surprising from the report? (See full infographic.)
• From an employer's perspective, what are the downsides of offering the choice and flexibility that new workers want?
• As a job seeker, what is important to you? Which of the report's findings reflect your own priorities for a new job?
• During a job interview, what do you think is appropriate to ask regarding social media and mobile devices? What would you ask at a second rather than a first interview?

New Study: Social Media Posts Can Make or Break a Hiring Decision

Previous studies have shown that people involved in the hiring process search online for candidates. A new study by Reppler confirms that 91% search Facebook, Twitter, and/or LinkedIn before making a hiring decision.

This study gives us good and bad news about the results of these searches. Although 69% of employers have rejected a candidate because of what they saw posted, 68% have hired a candidate for the same reason.

The study reminds us that smart candidates post positive information about themselves online. Here's an enlarged infographic.

Assignment Ideas: 

• Google yourself and see what you reveal. Are you well represented on the web? Do you want to change anything to improve your online reputation?
• Create a LinkedIn page if you don't already have one. To bolster your online reputation via LinkedIn, add connections, provide more detail in your profile, and join professional groups.

Volunteer Experience Could Land You a Job

A recent survey has convinced LinkedIn to add a new field to online profiles: "Volunteer Experiences & Causes." According to the survey of 2,000 professionals, 41% of hiring managers believe that volunteer experience is just as valuable as paid experience, and 20% of hiring managers have made hiring decisions based on a candidate's volunteer work. Eighty-nine percent of the survey respondents had performed volunteer work, yet only 45% of them included this on their resumes, feeling that they didn't want to exploit the community group -- or because they didn't think about including the experience.

Volunteer work could give you skills and experience that employers want: teamwork, interpersonal skills, sales and marketing, and more. So why not include this on your resume, particularly in a tight, competitive labor market?

Discussion Starters:

• Do you currently list volunteer work on your resume? Why or why not? Will you add it now that you see how much it is valued by employers?
• What are the downsides of including volunteer experience on your resume?
• Looking back on your volunteer work, what competencies (skills, knowledge, or abilities) do you believe the experience developed that might be useful in your career?

Good Job News for IT Professionals

Despite the depressing economic news, tech hiring is booming. How does a $50,000 sign-on bonus sound? Trips, parties, and perks are in full force to lure potential candidates to technology companies such as Yammer and Dreamforce.For tech professionals, the unemployment rate is merely 3.3%, considered full employment by some. Jobs in high demand include "cloud computing engineers, security experts, and mobile developers as well as sales professionals in the technology industry" according to a BusinessWeek article. Some cities are seeing tremendous growth in tech jobs; tech hiring in Detroit, for example, has grown 66% as automakers use more sophisticated technology in cars and require specialized skills.

 Discussion Starters:

• How can technology job seekers distinguish themselves in this competitive market?
• How can you explain the boom in tech jobs when the rest of the economy isn't faring so well?
• Which perks do you consider most effective in attracting candidates to jobs? Which, if any, would be most likely to convince you to take a job?

"Gigs for Grads" Are Looking Up

Course Hero created this infographic to summarize recent research about college graduates' job prospects. You'll see quite a lot of good news according to the National Association for Colleges and Employers, including an average salary offer increase of 4.8% for 2011 grads. Also, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has identified several areas for large growth by 2018: education, business, multimedia and web design, nursing, and software engineering.

Discussion Starters:

• The infographic shows a discrepancy between growing fields and students' chosen majors. Does knowing that a particular area is expected to grow affect your choice of major? Why or why not?
• Eight of the ten highest paying jobs are in Engineering, but only 8.2% of undergraduates have chosen this major. Does knowing that you could have more income potential in Engineering than in your chosen field affect your career choice? Why or why not?

How to Get People to Respond to Your Emails

The New York Times published an article yesterday, "Is Anyone There?" voicing the frustration that many of us feel when our emails go unanswered. There are no guarantees, but here are a few ideas for getting a response to your email:

• Use a catchy, specific subject line. These can be full sentences, for example, "Can you come to the meeting on Friday?" Consider including your entire message in the subject line and adding "[EOM]," meaning "end of message." This saves people having to open your message. (See SEND by Shipley and Schwable.)
• Make responding easy. Ask specific, easy questions that don't require a lot of reading or a complex answer. If you need more, schedule a meeting -- there's just so much email can do.
• Put your main point in the first sentence. Don't ramble with two paragraphs of background information before you ask for what you need.
• Focus on the reader. Consider what's important to the receiver -- why should he or she respond? "Please let me know whether I can contact Maryann directly. I want to save you the trouble, but I don't want to overstep either."
• Give a time frame for a response. "ASAP" means within 5 minutes to me, but may mean a week and a half to you. Try, "Will you please let me know by Tuesday, 7/16, whether this outline is on track, so I can finish the report by Friday?"
• Use short paragraphs and write concisely. Edit ruthlessly.
• Consider different colors and fonts to make your email skimmable -- within reason.
• Pick up the phone. Either as follow-up or {gasp!} in lieu of an email, trying calling someone instead. Email is the default medium for most business communication, but it's not the only choice.
• Send an IM instead. For quick questions, try for a quick answer.

Here are some more ideas, but reserve these for when you don't care too much about maintaining a relationship with the receiver:

• Send emails with a receipt. This is sure to annoy anyone into either responding or never opening another email from you.
• Send "Second Request" in the subject line. Truly overwhelmed emailers may appreciate this, but others will consider it an insult -- particularly if sent 3 hours after the original message.
• Copy someone important. This may inspire someone to jump in your behalf but also may embarrass someone into further non-response.

Sometimes, a non-answer is, in fact, an answer. If you don't hear back after an interview, yes, the recruiter is rude, but after a week or so, you probably have your response.

Discussion Starters:

• Have you sent email that didn't get a response? In retrospect, what could you have done differently?
• Have you ever ignored email sent to you? Do you consider it rude? Why or why not?

Future Doctors Tested for People Skills

Medical schools are finally seeing the importance of a good "bedside manner" and are testing applicants for people skills. The "M.M.I." or multiple mini interview is now in place in at least eight medical schools in the United States and 13 in Canada. Applicants face ethical questions, such as circumcision and alternative remedies, and have to discuss their views in nine brief interviews. A New York Times article explains:

"Candidates who jump to improper conclusions, fail to listen or are overly opinionated fare poorly because such behavior undermines teams. Those who respond appropriately to the emotional tenor of the interviewer or ask for more information do well in the new admissions process because such tendencies are helpful not only with colleagues but also with patients."

Discussion Starters:

• What is your opinion about the new selection technique? In what ways is this similar to employment interviews for corporate jobs?
• What do you think about the emphasis on people skills for medical school students? Is this important, or should doctors just be good scientists?
• What is your experience with doctors and their people skills? Do you see room for improvement that this selection process might help?

As "Sheriff" of Vancouver Riots, Social Media Nabs Several People

Disappointed fans rioted after the Vancouver Canucks' Stanley Cup loss, and now some are paying the price. A University of British Columbia student, caught up in the action and caught on video, took two pair of pants from a store. She has since apologized on her blog. 

Cacnio wasn't the only one identified in riot videos (she can be seen at 1:30 - 1:33 below). According to a Globe and Mail story, "Social media has become the sheriff of this unlawful event, in essence rounding up a number of rioters by posting their pictures on the Internet and encouraging people to identify the people in them. That has led to online shaming of those named, some of whom have since turned themselves into police and are lining up to publicly apologize online."

Discussion Starters:

• If a prospective employer Googled you, what would he or she find? (Try searching for yourself to make sure.)
• How do you assess Cacnio's apology? She has quite an extensive list of people to whom she apologizes. Do you think this is appropriate given the situation, or did she do more than was necessary?

Fiesta Bowl Responds to Accusations

The Story

The Fiesta Bowl, a college football game, is charged with reimbursing employees for political contributions totaling more than $46,000. These employee donations -- and political fundraisers hosted at Fiesta Bowl facilities -- apparently violate federal election laws. A watchdog group has encouraged the Federal Election Commission to investigate the situation. CEO John Junker was terminated in light of other improper expenditures and reimbursements, including this example: "In March 2010, the bowl paid for $75 worth of flowers sent to an admissions official at University of Texas-Austin where Junker's daughter was accepted into the honors program." Read more.

Discussion Starters

• From your understanding of ethical decision making and gift giving, how do you assess the examples of impropriety at the Fiesta Bowl?
• What are the consequences of this situation for brands associated with the Fiesta Bowl: Tostitos and Frito-Lay? See the Bowl's sponsor page.
• Read the Fiesta Bowl's press release about the situation. What do you consider the most and least convincing arguments of this company's message?

Assignment Ideas

• Write a policy for giving gifts for Fiesta Bowl employees. Draft your own version first, and then search online for similar policies. Revise yours to include topics you may have missed.
• Write a shorter version of the Fiesta Bowl's press release for employees. How can you adapt this message for an internal audience?
• Review the full report and analyze the features, organization, and writing style. Write a memo to the authors with your analysis. What do you see as strengths of the report, and how can it be improved?