A recent article in the Wall Street Journal discusses how General Motors is trying to get back on track after its government bailout. It tells of struggles internally about ways to reorganize the group and resistance from some of their managers.
A passage in the full-page article stood out to me. Joel Ewanick, GM marketing chief, recalled how when he assumed his new position at GM, he was handed a furniture catalog and a budget of $55,000 to furnish his new office.
Ewanick, unhappy with the selection and prices in the catalog, instead opted to buy his furniture locally from Target, Costco and IKEA. Total cost? Less than $5,000.
Wow! He spent less than 10 percent of his budget! What a concept! Breaking the corporate mold and figuring ways to save money! But GM bureaucrats said that the furniture wouldn’t last and gave the thumbs-down on the purchase, even after saving 90 percent of his approved budget.
Ewanick bought the furniture anyways.
So, is he a rebel? A troublemaker? Simply because he questions authority, that even though they did it one way for years and years, he comes in with another idea? I say he is a visionary, a forward thinker!
So, how do you tie this example into your job search and interview? Well, as I’ve discussed on this blog time and time again, you have to stand out from the competition. You have to go beyond a stellar cover letter and resume. I really dislike this phrase but you have to “think outside the box.”
In order to do that, here’s a few bullets of advice:
Point out an opportunity for improvement – In your cover letter, discuss an aspect of their website. Example: “I’ve been on your website and I notice that there isn’t a prominent way to search for stores in my community.”
Offer a suggestion – “A simple Mapquest link could help customers find you even better and drive traffic and sales to your walk-in locations.”
Make the close – “This free application, which is easy to load online, is something I would be happy to discuss with you.”
Shine at the interview – Prepare a simple handout, expanding on the example from your cover letter.
Just like GM’s Joel Ewanick, there is no harm in offering a suggestion to do something better.
Now, I’m certainly not telling you to nitpick and tear apart the company’s website or corporate image (see past blog, here.) And, yes, you may give away something to them that they might just do themselves.
But by showing that you took the time to do a little bit of homework, can help your image and set you apart from the competition.
Now, let’s go out there and do something good!
How I See A New Media World 