Career Advice

Bet your glad to get the resumay I’ve attached to this letter
I gotta lot of experience doing this kind of stuff and you should call me next week when I got a phone. My last boss was a reel loser: I’m expcting, to make at least $1000/week.

Call me.

Joe Wannabea Bodyguard

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The above is an example of a very poorly-written cover letter. I realize this is a gross exaggeration, but I do want to point out problems with this letter, and some important omissions. Cover letters can help you get your foot in the door–so make sure to put your best foot forward!

[Read more…] about Dear Future Boss

A bodyguard colleague of mine (and former NFL player) shared a story with me. It is a “success story” and I thought it important to share it with you.

My friend was returning from working a major sporting event out of town, where he’d been hired to work as a bodyguard. He flew home First Class. Being a sociable kind of guy, he decided to chat with the female passenger next to him. They talked throughout the flight and in the course of their conversation, he told her what it was he does for a living. My buddy is easy-going, warm and intelligent. By the end of the flight, he learned that this woman is the manager of a major television star. At the end of the flight, my buddy gives her his business card. It included his telephone and email address. A very short time later, she called him and he was hired to protect her television celebrity, who was stumping for one of the presidential candidates. He snagged a nice contract for a stretch of this year’s exciting campaign trail. He worked that contract, met lots of people, and is already out working another contract.

Now, some of you might be thinking “Wow, Lucky guy.” Remember, “Luck” is when opportunity and preparation meet. Let’s break this down to really understand why it is that my colleague is working so much:

1.  Put yourself in the best position to meet people who can hire you. i.e. fly first class! Go where the managers/agents/celebrities go. Most “power people” don’t fly coach.

2. “Strike while the iron is hot” Nothing attracts an employer so much as someone who is working. I know that sounds odd, but it’s true. Someone who is succeeding at what they do is desirable to an employer. You are also at your most confident when you’re either working, or have just completed an assignment. This is the time to find the next contract. It is more compelling to a potential employer to hear “I just finished working the Oscars” than “I’m not working right now.” (Be honest, though. Being untruthful will catch up with you.)

3. Be eager to talk with, and meet people. Don’t be afraid to tell people what it is you do. It’s an interesting profession–one that most people don’t know much about. If they do know something about your work, they will appreciate that you are warm, friendly and well-spoken! Don’t share personal information about clients or gossip. It’s unprofessional and reflects poorly on you.

4.  Print business cards, and have them with you at all times. Be sure you have your correct information and if you don’t have an email account, get one and check it every day, several times a day.

5. Have the courage to give people your business card–they may not need it, but may give it on to someone who does!

6.  While fulfilling your contract, be the best bodyguard they’ve ever worked with. Be prompt. Be attentive.Do your job better than anyone before you. Meet people. Talk to people. Hand out more cards. When you know it’s a short-term contract, be working to find the next contract. (See the second point “strike while the iron is hot.”)

It’s not just luck that gets you the job. Personality, timing, preparedness, perseverance and doing really good work on every job will get you the next  job!

–Hucky

One of the questions I’m asked most is “how do I find the work?” It can be very difficult to secure bodyguard or executive protection contracts, and I’d like to address what I perceive as a shortcoming in terms of landing good jobs: Self-Promotion.

The world has changed, and your marketing strategy has got to change. One of the first ways we check to see if an individual or business is “legitimate” is by conducting an internet search. There is so much information available at our fingertips that the perception now is that if you don’t have a website that you are not truly a “professional.” The truth is, if you are an independent contractor, you MUST have a presence on the web. It doesn’t matter if you have all the training in the world, an arsenal of weapons, specialized skills and even a top-notch resume–if people cannot learn more about you and locate you on the world wide web, you are not accorded respectability. I’m not saying it’s right; I’m just saying that’s how it works.

Don’t forget, YOU are your business when you’re an independent contractor. You can create a very simple website without spending a fortune. Domain names can be purchased at places like Yahoo for low monthly fees. There are a great many web masters with a wide range of fees, so you can find someone to work with in your price range. Emphasize your strengths and skills and professionalism. Above all, be truthful. You are seeking work in a field where integrity, discretion and dependability are paramount–the first step is to garner respect, so honesty is key. [Read more…] about Marketing: Building Professional Recognition

Very recently, an extremely popular celebrity was seeking a new bodyguard.

Since this celebrity doesn’t have a lot of time (he’s very popular, remember?) his business manager is charged with the task of finding the appropriate talent for the position.

But business managers are busy people, quite often managing more than one demanding celebrity. And, since this is 2008 and the entire world moves at lightening speed, the manager doesn’t want to have to take the time to read over stacks of resumes in order to present the best candidates to the celebrity…as soon as possible.

See, the popular celebrity with the overworked business manager wants to see your brief and to-the-point CV, so you can be moved quickly to the top of the stack, scheduled for the interview and offered the job…as soon as possible. [Read more…] about A Superb CV: Your Ticket To The Top