So what can we take away from the new Ivory soap campaign that reminds us of its simplicity? It’s just soap. No special smells, additives, packaging. Just soap.

If you are a job seeker or even an individual looking to brand yourself, the question of how much to share is often an issue. Is a two paragraph cover letter enough or is that too short? How many Linked In recommendations are appropriate?  There is no simple answer but here’s a note from my inbox today… “We’re hiring at my company and just today I saw 3 resumes…

#1 –   was 9 pages long

#2 – was 10 pages long in 9 point font

#3 – included a 1 page summary of the books the person has read.”

The author’s advice, “Don’t do that.”

It’s hard to believe that with all the resources available that anyone is still doing stuff like this. Edit, focus, get someone to read over your material. Please remember, less is more.

I like to write and so a blog was a natural fit for me.  But there’s writing and then there’s writing well. This isn’t about spelling or even grammar per se.  Practicing writing; not emails, not twitter, not just your resume,  but writing to clearly communicate is important for job seekers.

I am always surprised when people tell me they don’t customize their resume for each job. How else is the hiring manager going to envision you in the job if you don’t tell them, specifically, how your qualifications match the job requirements.

Here’s an example of a way to customize a cover letter (called a t-style) that highlights the job requirements and how your skills match those needs. I suggest you practice writing whenever you can. Ask for feedback. When you go back to work, you’ll be glad you kept your writing skills sharp.

Your Specifications: “A strong background in organizations going through transformations…”

My Background:  Jones Intercable, Fresh Express, and iLogistix were going through major transformations; 1.) Jones Intercable from a regional operator to sixth largest cable company, 2.) Fresh Express from a food service company to a major packaged goods company that successfully competed with industry giants to maintain top market share, and 3.) iLogistix from national service organization to a global organization. In all these cases, I teamed with other senior executives to deal with a high level of change successfully build organizations to go to the next level.
Your Specifications “…a strong knowledge of labor relations.”
My Background: Have dealt with a number of unions and successfully negotiated contracts including…