Your resume’ has all the pertinent information in clearly defined sections:

How to reach you.

Summary of Skills.

Objectives.

List of Education.

Additional training.

Certificates and Accreditations.

Work Experience.

References.

You know the next step in the job market is to get that resume’ out. 

You have a great cover letter that expresses how you found out about the job opening and sets up dialogue for scheduling an interview.

You take an extracurricular class or two on job interviews.

You have practiced the interview numerous times with friends, roommates, or maybe even a family member.

You get the call – someone, a company, is interested.  It’s a company you have stock in, you speak well of them to your friends, and you really want to work for this firm!

The appointment is set.

You maybe dress one step higher than appropriate for the line of work you are planning.

You’re there on time – actually 10 minutes early.

You can already envision working for this firm

The HR Dept calls you in…

The only question asked is simply, “How much do we have to pay you?”

There is no greeting, no handshake, no welcome, no offer to sit down or get comfortable, no query about anything on the resume.  HR doesn’t probe about history, education, skill sets, references, or even if you are over- or under-qualified for the job.

…just a lone question: “How Much Are You?”

You are on the spot.  You are the interviewee.  You need to answer that question.

Your mind runs wild, “What about my qualifications, why aren’t they asking about those?  The entire labor pool is out there; and I know I am the single best asset to this firm.  Is this company really looking for the cheapest labor?  I want $XX,XXX per year salary. The next guy in the lobby is wearing tattered jeans and a stained t-shirt. He’s got a ticket for the company to sign off from the placement referral service so he can continue to collect unemployment and furthermore he’s absolutely clueless – I know he’s going to ask for less.”

Many couples that are planning a wedding unknowingly do this daily to many service providers within Wedding Entertainment field.

Wedding Entertainers (mobile DJs) can be thought of as the candidates waiting in the lobby (your lobby – you are the employer).  They offer a service, a willingness to work for you.  Some DJs position themselves for the menial tasks.  Others -the better ones – can become your right-hand.

Wedding DJs have a resume’.  It’s their marketing: a website, their printed materials, an informational e-mail.  They have references to check: Thank You cards, happy clients to email, reviews found online.  There is a confirmable work history: ask your other vendors if they have worked with the DJ before – ask your DJ about the vendors they’ve worked with.  What about training, accreditations and certificates? What have they done to earn the spot in your wedding budget.

Have some fun, pay us DJs back with the same thing you are going through (or went thru recently).  Scrutinize.  Find the right employee for your own “wedding firm.”