Instant Interviews: 101 Ways to Get the Best Job of Your Life

Chapter 33. Launching a Proactive Proposal

"Proposal writing" sounds so sophisticated! It's not. In this Do I'll show you how simple this instant interview device is.

Most business proposals should have a warning stamped on their plain vanilla covers. "Warning: Contents may cause drowsiness. Do not digest in a busy office. File under B for Boring."

There are tons of books on proposal writing out there. Don't waste your money. The one that should be written is how to accept them! But that's not our problem. We just want an interview. A proposal is a device only, a way to get a face-to-face with the offeror.

If for some reason you are not able to connect with the offeror directly, it's time for a proactive proposal.

Notice I didn't say a volume of Me from A to Z. The offeror doesn't care about you. He cares about getting some work done. You just need to convince him that you'll do it.

The objective is not the proposal. The objective is the interview. Instantly.

With that little mantra, you already know more about proposals than the majority of jobseekers. This book is the only place you're going to find that information. If you go on the Internet, be prepared to snooze. And lose.

Let's review the steps to a proactive, interview-getting proposal:

First, know when you need it.

Is there a more direct path to the offeror? If so, take it. If not, consider a proposal.

The pitch letter from Do 9 and the proposal are very much alike. The pitch is written in the first-person—I, me, my, mine. The proposal ...