Wow, last week’s email really struck a chord with people. Luckily I got less hate mail than I got fan mail on that one, but I promised that we’d be back on track this week, so moving on…

We are taught funny traditions in business and coaching sometimes (some of which I incorporate into our internships), and a big one is:

“Find a mentor that is already successful doing what you want to do and copy them.”

I mean, this statement is in almost every single success book out there, so it has to be true right?

Well, maybe not always…

You see, the person that became successful probably did not get there by copying someone.

They probably got there by doing the exact opposite of what everyone else in their industry was doing.

I’ll even take my industry for example:

The large educational institutions say that you should not give too much away to the students, that you should just give information about the course so the students will sign up and then pay for what you have to teach them.

I got this dandy little tip from a guy that I read every day.

I don’t think you would read my emails or sign up for our programs and workshops if I just hashed out a bunch of fluff each week.

Sure, it takes me a lot longer to figure out what to say, and some weeks I get totally stuck, but in the long run I feel that it’s worth it.

Well, you might want to look for the same thing when you promote yourself as an employee.

What are some things that employers in your industry really need? And what do you have that is so special?

Do you have a great idea for the company where you are applying for a job? Do you have some contacts you could bring the company?

Do you really need to mail out your resume in that fashion?

Do you have to apply for a job description on seek or could you find the perfect job another way?

Are you striving to be just as good as the next guy? Or do you have something extra to offer?

What if you went absolutely nuts and did it the opposite way?

Your employer and potential employers would probably notice, right?

Instead of using buzz words, think about what you do know and are really good at and write it down – you might actually cut through it like a laser if you did the opposite of everyone else.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating to act like a total idiot, or NOT to take advice from people that are completely successful.

…but I am saying that maybe it’s time to see if you can shake things up a little and make yourself stick out like a sore thumb.

If everyone in your industry applies online, go to the front desk or through the mail, perhaps with a muffin.

One of the best ways you can constructively make yourself shine above the rest, is through a well-executed Cover Letter.

For a whole ton of ways that you can create a show-stopping CL for your Job hunt, check out my Ultimate Cover Letter and Resume workshop:

Play the opposite game.

Have a great week,

Sophia Demetriades