Brag Books Are BS!

I know this subject has come up before, yet I just spoke to someone who went to interview with Eli Lilly for a sales position, and she not only hated the people conducting the interview, she was offended when they seemed upset that she didn't bring along a "brag book".  For those of you who don't know what this is; a brag book is a list of all your career accomplishments assembled into one "book".  In other words, all the awards you have won, along with quota achievements and any plaques you might have been awarded.  Yet what is it really?  It's total bullshit.

Apparently, the regional vice president asked her specifically, "Why didn't you bring along your awards.  I just had a guy yesterday lay out all his plaques and awards in front of me to show what he'd achieved.  I mean anyone can make up numbers and put them on a resume."

Naturally she was offended, "Hold on a second.  If you're insinuating that I'm lying then I'd have put a lot better numbers on my resume than I did.  If I was going to lie I'd do a much better job than that, but I'm not a liar."

He responded, "But you're in sales, so let's just say sales people exaggerate the truth sometimes." At this point I would have walked out of the interview.  Who would want to work for such an asshole?

She is more patient than I am, but she was so dumbfounded by his response she struggled the rest of the interview and afterwards she didn't even leave him a thank you card.  He was insinuating that all sales people are liars.  He didn't say it directly but what the hell is the difference between exaggerating the truth and lying...NOTHING.  What a jerk.

And as for the validity of brag books.  Anyone can also go to Staples and buy a certificate of achievement and put their name on it and ten other ones, and then place them in a binder.  When I was a sales manager, the biggest mistake I ever made was believing in a brag book.  I interviewed a copier sales person who had a book full of awards and even a few plaques which he brought to the interview.  Little did I know, these were all forgeries!  The sneaky little bastard had taken other peoples awards and copied them and then inserted his name.  He even had the plaque made at a trophy store.  How do I know that?  He told me when I fired him because he never left his house.  He sold $0 in 6 months!  Not a cent!

The lesson here is that if anyone asks for a brag book I would tell them this, "Awards mean nothing to me because lets be honest, I'm only as good as my last sale.  Talk is cheap and so are awards it's how you perform in the field that makes the difference between a good rep and a great one."

If they press the issue as this stupid regional manager from Eli Lilly did, than my response would be , "People can make up numbers than can make up positions and then can make up awards.  Staples can even make them for you if you ask.  I don't live in the past but I do look forward to the future."

Brag books are BS.  Don't believe the hype...and have a great day selling!

-M