Fishing Resume'

Mike Cork · March 17, 2005, 11:32:57 PM

Hopefully you have used that fact that you are a contributing writer here. Published I believe is the word. I don't know how weight we carry yet but with all the advertising that our members have done threw this winter we are definately growing by leaps and bounds.

Tritonrob · March 17, 2005, 11:46:35 PM

Mike I took great pride in updating my resume with this fact. As a matter of fact the last sponsor I dealt with took note of that. I totally believe that working with a web site gives you an edge. I can never express enough how greatful I am for you letting myself become part of this site.

Ronnie Broussard · March 18, 2005, 08:11:38 AM

Everyone has a differnet outlook on what they want from our sport. Through my experiances, I have found different levels of fishermen. I try to look at it from both sides, angler and tackle company.
I can tell you as a retail store manager, when someone comes to me and applies for a job, if the first words out of their mouths (and I get it more than you would think) is "what does this job pay?" before I even read their application, that person has just dropped to the bottom of the consideration list.

I expect people to tell me about themselves and their experiance and what they can do for my business, then we talk pay depending on what they are bringing to the table!

I figure the tackle companies are looking for the same thing, and I approach it as such. I enjoy fishing so much, promoting sponsors is fun to me. I like feeling like I am on the "inside." I get free or discounted stuff just for doing something I love doing, talking fishing!

Usually, most tackle companies have a set program for pro staff. If they consider you, they send you the program. Some even have stages of pro staff, such as jr. and Sr. pro staff, with different packages for each. It could be anything from a yearly allowance to a discount on purchasing their products. It is then our decision if we want to accept and go forth, or turn away and look elsewhere!

BIG PAPA · March 18, 2005, 09:33:28 AM

Well Ronnie although you are obviously a successful business man and I already know that you are a very nice guy from all of your posts. I ask to agree to dis agree

I for one could never work like that. If I don't know at the start of the interview what the job pays I would have no need to finish the conversation. Why would I feel the need to impress a company with my pontential to help them if I did not know what I was going to make working for them. It may be that after the interview I am told what the starting pay is and I am not interested. If that were the case haven't we both wasted our time.
This is just my 25 cents worth Ronnie, I own and operate a business and have for 20 years. I want my people to know up front what benefits they can expect so we both know if we are going to work something out. I know I would hate to spend a half hour with someone then tell them the starting pay is 10 dollars an hour and have them say you got to be kidding me and walk out
everything has to work both ways.
If I went for an interview I would know up front what I was getting paid or I am gone
Sounds to me as though it is a confidence factor with people that are looking for a job or maybe just a different need. I have never gone to an interview that I did not know ahead of time that I had what the company wanted and was very confident that i could do the job. I always thought they needed to convince "me" that I wanted to work for them Actually. For instance; Although I do not want another job

There is no doubt in my mind that I could sell the fire out of fishing lures if I needed to to. Like I said maybe it is a matter of confidence.
Really do not mean to be rude Ronnie and I did not direct this at anyone special just the pro staff arrangement in general.
papa

cmegee · March 18, 2005, 11:18:54 AM

One thing to think about, and I think this helped me with my sponsors, I took time and care to use the best quality paper and enclosed a photo paper on all photos I sent, as well as packaged it up in a small binder type folder and mailed that to them. I think that maybe it showed that you took a little time and put some effort into that to send them.

Oh by the way, wife just called and said we could get our computer back today for the house

finally won't have to come into the office to get online again.
yeah

BIG PAPA · March 18, 2005, 04:43:15 PM

OK

As usual Mike explained it where I can see it.
Someone that wants to make a living in the fishing industry uses a small pro staff position to get his feet in the door.
You work hard and make a good impression, get to know a few people in the industry, prove that you are willing to work and I guess mostly prove that you can help a company and then more offers should come. And I assume that IF you are good at promoting that at some point things would start rolling.
Ok I can go along with all of that, but I still have ONE question

When do you get to fish?

Just kidding guys I can at least see it now. The bottom line is that you have to be the right person.

papa

Mike Cork · March 18, 2005, 05:02:39 PM

Papa you ask your one question in jest but it is true some guys get their selves so involved they are stuck at shows instead of fishing

BIG PAPA · March 18, 2005, 05:20:55 PM

Yeah I'm guess that it is all about who you are and what you want.
Years ago I called in sick at work to fish in a tournament that KRMD radio station was holding on Toledo Bend. Well being the dumb ass that I am I did not think about getting caught but as luck would have it I won the darn tournament and it was broadcast over the radio all day long and my boss heard my name. Well as you can guess he called me into his office to chew me out for calling in sick and fishing in a tournament. after he chewed a while he said; don't you want to make money don't you realize that you need this job.
The only responce I could think of was

I WOULD RATHER BE FISHING WITH 50 CENTS IN MY POCKET THAN WORKING WITH 50 THOUSAND IN MY BANK.
At that point he just told me to get out and go to work.

As "forrest Gump" said I'm may not be a smart man but I know what love is

and "I love fishin"
papa

Ronnie Broussard · March 18, 2005, 06:55:59 PM

papa, no offense taken, we are just throwing ideas and experiances around here

We obviously have different backgrounds and experiances in both life and business, and that's the way it should be to get a balance in this crazy world.

For me, I say how can I know what to offer someone if I don't have at least an idea of their experiance and potiential? I can learn more about a person in a 15 minute talk than I can in 5 written pages. I might find someone that is a writting genius, but when they talk they throw up

Then I might find someone, (I put myself in this catagory) that writes a ho-hum application, but can talk up a storm, has enthusiasm and vocal skills THEY might not even realize they have. Wouldn't I, as an employer, want to pay the second person more than the first?
Heck, even to get on the UB editorial staff, I sent in a resume, but Laurie called me and we talked forever on the phone before she took me on!
Like I said, different people, different experiances, different ways of looking at things!

Mike Cork · March 18, 2005, 07:01:41 PM

Man this is exactly why I love this forum so much. Look at all the great info here, pro and con. Someone coming to the site looking for information is going to get flooded with info for both sides. Awesome

Tritonrob · March 18, 2005, 10:52:41 PM

Mike that's why this site is so great. All different views and opinions and info got shared and information got shared and everyone is still friends. Take credit everyone that's why this site is so awesome. I really don't think this can be said for too many other sites. That's why this site is number 1 in my opinion and why I enjoy sharing and posting on the site.

MotherNature · March 18, 2005, 11:12:22 PM

fff your right that type of information would be inportant to some sponsors but there are probably a vast majority that are not world web wise

I do think that they are all aware of it but I wonder just how many of them are aware of how valuable it really can be?

Ronnie Broussard · March 19, 2005, 06:23:35 AM

Laurie is absolutely right. Most sponsors have no idea that something like this forum could be so effective. I myself really didn't know the scope of this when I found it and have learned just how valuable this can be to everyone involved in serious angling!

Mike Cork · March 21, 2005, 10:08:53 PM

Here is a question for you.

I am re-doing my resume to include some of the great tips and ideas you all have shared with us. My delima is that I am so good

that I have a lot of information that seems relevant to me. But it is making for a lengthy set of pages to read. How long should your resume be? What is too long? Obviously I should put the important information first so that they are not board yet, and the never ending list of accomplishments last that way they can read it if they want to but don't have to in order to get to the meat. Thoughts?

OHbassaholic · March 21, 2005, 10:18:44 PM

You can have 2 versions. The one with the meat only, for initial contacts, and the other to hand to them in the first interview. The "meat" should include the main things you believe they have a need to know so that they will take an interest. Kind of an outline format that covers the bases. They will ask for you to expand upon the items they are interested in. Very seldom do you want to take the chance of overwhelming them.

Mike Cork · March 21, 2005, 10:28:43 PM

That's kinda what I was thinking. So the meat version. One Two pages?

OHbassaholic · March 21, 2005, 10:34:14 PM

I always try to limit to one page for initial contact. Be it sponsorship or work related. Sorry to use that 4 letter word around here...

Tritonrob · March 21, 2005, 10:57:54 PM

Mike My resume is a total of 2 pages. Other option which you have if you want to make it bigger is to make it into a portfolio.

Ronnie Broussard · March 22, 2005, 06:39:37 AM

Remember Mike, these guys are being sent hundreds of resumes per month. Would YOU want to have to go through all that if they were all 2 or 3 pages?

Give them the meat and potato's of who you are as a person and your history in bass fishing. I can't stress this enough and it keeps seemingly gets overlooked, so let's try this,
SPONSORS LOVE PICTURES[/i][/u]If you look at mine on Sqworm, you will see actually very little writting and it's very "meat and potato's of who I am. You will see a half dozen pictures tho!

fishforfree · March 22, 2005, 07:08:24 AM

Mike,
I'd like to reply to your post. I imagine you could create a resume a Pro would be jealous of and I mean that.

I'll reply as a POTENTIAL SPONSOR.

If I'm lloking at your's or anybody else's resume I want to know one thing - WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR ME? Where will you do it? When will tou do it? And who will be seeing it?

In your case - your biggest asset is this site. Unfortunately not all of your victories and tremendous fishing abilities. If I wasn't a friend of yours I'd look at all your achievements and say..........SO What. That's what other sponsors say. It's what I say when I look at guys resume's that have a list of victories.

I'm just saying that doesn't move sponsors - - - If it did Randy Howell wouldn't have any sponsors.......He has 2 victories in 12 years as a PRO. Not many.

But what does Randy OFFER to a potential sponsors? What can he do FOR ME? Where can he do it?

Your resume (in my opinion) should be stacked, loaded, piled high, etc. with different avenues you could use to promote your sponsors.

And that goes for anybody.

Remember your potential sponsors says 2 things

So What
What's In It For Me
Answer those questions and you'll have no problems getting sponsors

Ronnie Broussard · March 22, 2005, 07:39:45 AM

Well said fishforfree

That was right to the point. I can think of at least a couple of people that may not like the response, but I can tell you from the e-mails I've been getting for Sqworm's pro staff, I think most are accepting the idea!

You can go to a sponsor with your hat in your hand and your head held high!

Remember, you are applying for a JOB with the tackle company. You are asking them to give you their money in the form of product. All they ask is for you to talk up their product so the get more sales. It has not as much to do with fishing accomplishments as sales ability!