Mr Copeland begged the chairman's indulgence, stating that he was a joiner by trade and was keen to see the "early joinery work" in an outbuilding at Prehen House, a property listed in the Audit Office report.
Still, the right attention-getting tactic can sometimes work, particularly when professionals tailor it for a specific recipient, says Harry Joiner, a recruiter in Atlanta who specializes in e-commerce.