Bait the Hook to Suit the Fish. Don't use Wasabi!

I was invited on a fishing trip and figured, I haven’t been adventurous in awhile, so I accepted. Standing in my walk-in closet staring at Coach Purses, Rock and Republic Jeans, and my Valentino Sunglasses I wondered what I was thinking in accepting this invitation—I have nothing to wear! I managed to find some old Guess Jeans at the bottom of my drawer, a sweatshirt, and a couple of t-shirts to sustain my fishing weekend. I also took a pair of heels…just in case.

Holding the hook, I asked, “what do I put on it?” My girlfriend replies, “what the fish wants,” and pulls out a wriggling worm—yuck! “Can’t I put the hook in the water bare like this fall season’s fashion trends?” I was not going to touch that slimy worm. My girlfriend then says to me, “you can, and you may snag something, but your chances of attracting a fish increase greatly if you lure them with what they want.” Ah (chandelier bulb), at that time, I had a hankering for sushi but I wasn’t going to put some wasabi on the hook because that’s not going to attract a fish. I thought this is what I try to teach my job search clients; you can’t apply for any job, you have to do some research and find out what the employer wants. The dilemma most job seekers face is that they write their resumes for themselves, adding achievements or certifications that they are proud of, but in that the employer takes no interest. Thus, we have to identify our target audience, what they want to see, and how we attract them? When writing your resume, the page is your hook; the content, your bait.

I caught a couple of fish that trip, with the assistance of my friend’s fearlessness of slimy animals, and took home a valuable lesson: Bait the hook to suit the fish. Now, I have to do my research on what a handsome real estate agent with a great car and an excellent physique wants.

Happy job shopping!