***
UPDATE: March 1, 2010 — I’ve been hired ~> Check out
{Confessions of a PRetty Social Girl} The HIRED! #GenY /
***

Sometimes, the human race baffles me; I mean utterly, completely and totally stuns me beyond all reasonable logic.

Recently, I got an e-mail in my inbox from someone asking me for a job.

Go ahead, it’s okay to laugh.

I give you my full permission to laugh because anyone who looks me up online — especially on Google, my blog, LinkedIN or Twitter — will see that I, Sasha H. Muradali, am job hunting and have been since mid-September 2009. We are now in the first week of January 2010. So this is nothing new, per se.

It’s written on my LinkedIn.

It’s written on my Twitter.

And {Confessions of a PRetty Social Girl}, here on the Pink Book, is dedicated to my job hunt for a position in public relations, advertising or social media.

If that wasn’t enough — remember when I was featured in Business Week in the Fall of 2009 as a savvy Gen-Y job hunter.

Heck, I was giving away Google Wave invites at one point to get job leads (I still am, btw, in case you were interested ).

So, while I’m flattered, someone would think I’m important and cool enough to send their resume too, when I get an e-mail from someone asking me for a job, when I’m in the same boat, my mental gears start turning … especially, when there are mistakes and errors galore.

Now, I do not intend this post to be a call out, so let’s get that straight; this is a lesson folks!

Read it (person’s ‘info’ has been taken out to protect their privacy and replaced with [#]):-

Greetings,

I am interested in Communications position at company. I was recently the Web Site/Marketing Assistant at [#]. At that temporary position, my sole responsibility was to ensure the successful launch of the firm’s new Web site. I assisted the Marketing Director in all daily functions of the web site ranging from researching and drafting attorney biographies to daily filing to providing creative input on the Web site’s overall presence. I made sure that the Marketing Director stayed focus and was able to let her focus on other important marketing responsibilities for the firm. Prior to this, I was an Account Coordinator and Managing Director at [#], an agency specializing in public relations, advertising, promotions, marketing, and special event services. As Account Coordinator of a small company, I had the opportunity to manage and work on several accounts, which increased my leadership, interpersonal, time management and client relations skills. As a result, I have created media alerts/press releases for events and clients; engaged in meetings with clients with out supervision; drafted public relations campaign proposal for new business and retained accounts; and most importantly added value to the company’s growth efforts. Additionally, I am a skilled communicator, which is essential in media and client relations, as well as a very creative individual.

I bring a diverse array of experience to the table that will benefit your company. I have proven this through my performance at [#]. As Special Events Assistant, I successfully managed and garnered gift bag and silent auctions items for the [#], which valued at $13,555. Then less than a month, I was promoted to Account Coordinator where I was the lead support on a $66,975 account. My ability and determination to get the job done is always shown through my strong work ethics. Although, I am an independent worker, I love working with my team to share and receive ideas. I am very passionate and driven and given this opportunity, I will bring professionalism and proper ethics when it comes to this position in dealing with the media. I will also bring a jubilant attitude with everything I do. Lastly, I will bring creativity and energy to the position. I hope that you will give me the opportunity to use these skills at your company.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss my interest and qualifications with you in further detail. I can be reached at [#]. I look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully Submitted,

[#]

Down the Rabbit Hole ©2009 =Sugarock99 via DeviantArt

Where do I start?

If it’s in pink, it is an error I picked up that was way too obvious. There are many more, especially in grammar, but this is it in general.

• “Greetings” … who? Me? umm… Howdy!
• “position at company” … position at A company? Or mine specifically?
• This person has never heard of the comma [,] or paragraph breaks.
• It’s “website” or “web site,” by the way. “Web site” according to my AP Style Book (2005) — be consistent.
• “that will benefit your company”, “given this opportunity”, “the position”, “at your company” … while I KNEW this was an e-mail that was probably sent to a mass list, those phrases confirmed it.
• Are you asking me for a job or did you want to network with me or have me pass your resume to someone else?

AND on top of all of that, want to know something else Pink Book readers?

I know someone else two (2) more people who got this EXACT same e-mail, word for word.

Mass mailing is so wrong! Especially, if you are job hunting.

Incidentally, I e-mailed this person back, asking them where they got my personal e-mail address from because this wasn’t sent to LittlePinkBookPR[at]gmail[dot]com, or my professional volunteer account I use for the Gator Club of Miami where I serve as VP of Communications.

I was told, and I quote:-

“I keep an updated list of Communications Professional by googling in hopes of striking an initial form of communication.”

There was also no “hello” at the beginning or “many thanks”/”sincerely” at the end of this response. What you read above, word-for-word, was exactly the response I got sent back to me from this person’s Blackberry wireless device.

My goodness.

1. Never do this. Any of it. Ever.

2. If you do, don’t admit to it. Ever.

3. Know your target audience. Always.
   

P.S.,

Dear person who sent this to me,

If you do read this, don’t be offended. Take it as a lesson of life and work.

Sincerely,

Me xx.

***Many thanks to Kristina Allen and Sheema Siddiqi for working out the kinks on this one.***

–

Sasha Muradali runs the ‘Little Pink Book’ . She holds a B.S. in Public Relations from the University of Florida with a minor in Dance (’07) and an M.A. in International Administration from the University of Miami (’08). She loves Twitter and all things social media, so you should find her @SashaHalima or get a copy of the ‘Little Pink Book’ delivered to your Kindle.

Copyright © 2009-2010 Sasha H. Muradali. All Rights Reserved.