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How One Man Tried to Woo Employers In His Skivvies

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Social media is a great tool to incorporate into your job search, but there’s a line between showing your best face and showing your unmentionables. So learned Brian Zulberti, a recent Villanova University Law graduate, who decided to take the social job application process to a whole new level — an uncouth, half-nude, and humiliating level.

what not to do during your job search

Nothing’s worse than opening up a candidate’s social profile only to find albums full of nonsensical selfies and semi-nude pictures. As professionals, it is important to convey your personal brand online in a genuine and appealing manner so that potential employers can get a feel for who you really are and where your interests lie. Brian Zulberti apparently didn’t get that memo when he sent thousands of agencies and employers a mass email.

Some highlights:

Do You Know What You're Worth?

In the interest of brevity and not being even more annoying than I already arguably am, I am not going to include any more information about myself. All I ask is that if you are looking to employ someone with a legal background, anywhere from paralegal to practicing attorney, let me know and I will send you some information about myself. Thank you for your time and attention.

Note- it comes to my attention that a lot of attorneys are forwarding this to the individual in charge of hiring at various firms. I am sending out thousands of E-mails to attempt to reach as comprehensive and diverse a group of attorneys as possible. If everyone forwards it to the person in charge of hiring at their firms, those poor individuals are going to be swamped with E-mails from me. Odds are, that person will also receive an E-mail from me. So do not feel compelled to forward this along if you do not know of some particular, specific position available.

(Source: Above the Law)

Zulberti may have spared employers the specifics of his professional qualifications in the mass email, but he sure did expose all the juicy details once they landed on his very public Facebook site. To see what photo Zulberti thought would get him fired, see it here. It will surely brighten up your day.

The picture speaks loud and clear, screaming, “Not only am I desperate for a job, I also have terrible grammar. Hire me. (Insert three exclamation points for super-duper emphasis and one more for good luck.)” Hi-five, bro. 

So, here’s the skinny on what we can all learn as professionals from Zulberti’s incredible career faux pas:

1. Grammar, people. Grammar! We can’t stress this enough: Proofread all of your correspondence. There are sites that will, literally, correct your grammar with the click of a button. If you’re unsure of something you’ve penned, then get another set of eyes to review your work. It’s less embarrassing to have someone proof your work before it reaches the hands of its intended party, because then it’s too late. Check, double-check, and triple-check your work, if you have to. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to grammar and spelling.

2. Wear clothes. Prospective employers do not want to see your half-nude selfies. Keep your goodies to yourself when you’re trying to impress … well, anybody, for that matter. There are certain unsaid rules that a vast majority of professionals should follow, and one of the top rules is nudity is never acceptable in a professional context or setting. (OK, fine: there are a few occupations where nudity is completely acceptable and expected, but those are not the jobs we’re discussing here.) In short, save the selfies and nudity for your private and personal life, not for a last-ditch effort to try and get hired.

3. “Smug” looks attractive on, pretty much, no one. Check your arrogance at the door when you’re trying to appeal to employers or hiring managers. They do not want tickets to the “gun show,” no matter how proud you are of your biceps. Highlighting your accomplishments is one thing, but narcissism is simply not professional or appealing. Keep your attitude in check and be humble about your job search and candidacy because, as the saying goes, “People want to do business (or hire) people they know, like, and trust.” No one is going to hire you if you’re all about YOU.

As a parting gift, we leave you with Zulberti’s latest rant, in which he attempts to defend himself from the critics, but, not surprisingly, fails miserably, again.

Tell Us What You Think

Would you hire this guy … or even want to work with him? Share your thoughts on this bizarre act of desperation on Twitter or in the comments section below.

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(Photo Credit: nowheremanphotos/Flickr)

Leah Arnold-Smeets
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It is a critical component of business success to have a quality screening process because a right hire can increase productivity and success while a bad hire can lead to losses in time, money and employee morale.

justin
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justin

do you even lift?

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