But when the unskilled salesman of his own capabilities seeks a situation, he usually neglects to make careful, detailed plans to reach his prospect in the most effective way.  He does not prepare to create the particular impressions that would be most apt to assure him the attention and interest of the employer upon whom he calls.  Nearly always when a man out of a job answers an advertisement or follows up a clue to a possible opening for his services, he thinks the most important thing is to “get there first.”  The only advantage he hopes to gain over other applicants is a position at the head of the line.

Have you ever stopped to analyze the mental attitude of an employer toward the half dozen, dozen, or score of men who answer his advertisement for the services of one man?  He thinks, “Here are a lot of fellows out of jobs.  Probably most of them are no good, or they wouldn’t be out of jobs.  They are competing for this place.  Each sees there are plenty of others who will be glad to have it.  Therefore it is likely that I can get a man without paying him much to start with, and he probably won’t be very independent for a while after I hire him.  I’ll take my pick of the lot, and keep the names and addresses of two or three others in case he doesn’t make good.”

[Sidenote:  Shearing The Sheep]

Then the employer calls in the applicants as if they were so many sheep to be sheared by sharp cross-examination.  Practically every candidate enters the private office with a considerable degree of sheepishness in his feelings, whether he tries to appear at ease or not.  The employer first eyes him in keen appraisal.  He then proceeds briskly to clip off facts about him.  The man sitting behind the desk absolutely dominates the situation.  He finishes his questioning, and disposes of the applicant as he pleases.

What chance to gain the desired opportunity for service does each candidate have in such an uncontrolled process of getting a job?  He has one-sixth, or one-twelfth, or one-twentieth of a chance for success; according to whether there are six or a dozen or a score of applicants.  Also, practically without exception, men who come seeking a position and find that it has been filled make no further efforts to secure the opportunity for which they have applied; though the successful candidate may not make good and the position may soon be vacant again.  Your own experience and observation have made familiar to you this common way of looking for jobs.  You know that in such cases the employer has all the advantage.  Certainly the applicants who try to gain a chance to work by this method use no salesmanship at all.

[Sidenote:  The Salesman’s Method]

How would a “salesman” candidate for such a situation proceed?  First, he would avoid the mistake of presenting himself as merely one of a crowd of competing applicants.  He would make his particular personality stand out.  Before calling, he would do some prospecting to discover just what capabilities were needed to fill the position advertised.  Then he would plan different ways of tackling the prospective employer.  When all ready, but not before, he would go to the address.