Since 1937, not much has changed… really!

Since 1937, not much has changed really…

I have just had the privilege of being introduced to Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. Of course, I had heard of it but I hadn’t been properly introduced, and therefore did not have the inclination to explore Hill’s teachings or the motivation to find out where I could get my hands on a copy of his book.

What prompted this? A great friend and fellow author, Shan L. Scott, and I have been investing more in our personal and professional growth as a goal of 2022, and part of that is to keep each other accountable to our goals of striving to live the life we desire. We recently completed a five day Sprint into 2022 free online program with Bob Proctor which was absolutely amazing, and Proctor’s work and success has almost totally been a result of his studies of Hill’s Think and Grow Rich.

So I see if my local library has a copy, and alas it does but it is out on loan at that moment, so I place my reservation, and trot down about two weeks later when it becomes available to collect it.

Now, if you have read this book you will know that there are many learnings and instructions that come from it that are required to be manifested and acted upon in order to live the life you truly desire. However, the purpose of my blog today is to discuss Hill’s chapter on “Organised Planning”, and specifically the sections on “Information to be Supplied in a Written Brief”.

Here Hill lists seven items that should be included in your written brief (known as a resume of curriculum vitae these days):

1. Education
2. Experience
3. References
4. Photograph of self
5. Apply for a specific position
6. State your qualifications
7. Offer to go to work on probation

I do not agree that these should all be listed in your current resume (See HR Hot Tip #10 and #23)  and offering to work for free is illegal in current Australian employment law today, and most references are now listed as “available upon request” due to privacy, but otherwise, the general gist of what Hill suggests is absolutely spot on.

I was quite surprised with Hill’s passion for tailoring covering letters to the specific job and recipient (See HR Hot Tip #1 and #2) considering this book was written almost a century ago. The principles are still the same as today.

What’s more, I am further surprised still by the number of applications I receive that do not follow the above criteria and are not professionally laid out. Or I receive them for the incorrect job title, or the wrong recruiter. This truly diminishes one’s chances of standing out and getting the exact position desired and it breaks my heart. This is why I wrote 101 HR Hot Tips: Handy Secrets for Success in the Workplace, to help people’s chances of getting their dream job by standing out from the crowd. I wonder regularly why people don’t put their best foot forward, but it’s not their fault because it can only be because they don’t know how to.

I would love to know from you:

• as a candidate – how much time and effort you put into tailoring your resume and covering letter
• as a recruiter – how often you see poor covering letters, and also much emphasis you place on stand-out application

There is much more to learn from Hill’s teachings in this book, but specifically related to HR Hot Tips this one stood out. I highly recommend investing the time to read it (I will be reading it again!) and applying the studies taught, if only to see where it leads you.