Not so fast. Sure you’ve got a knock-out resume, but do you actually know how to use it? Unfortunately, most job seekers don’t, according to career coach Katy Piotrowski.
“Nine out of 10 job seekers do very little with their resumes, hoping that their dream employer will come looking for them. Just like a hammer, a resume is a tool that can help you get the job done. But if the hammer sits in a toolbox unused, it’s worthless. Your resume, sitting on your desk or in your computer, will do little for you unless it lands in the hands of decision makers,” Piotrowski writes in her recently-released book The Career Coward’s Guide to Resumes (JIST © 2008).
While working with thousands of job seekers, Piotrowski has seen first-hand which resume strategies significantly increased the number of interviews her clients received. Based on her experience, five sure-fire methods to maximize a resume’s results:
Customize Your Resume Every Time You Apply to a Job Opening.
- Include the position’s job title and any reference code or number provided.
- Ensure that your resume mimics keywords used throughout the job description.
- Make changes if the resume does not already highlight a key skill area mentioned in the job description.
- If you’ve found a job target, contact friends, family, colleagues and references to ask if they know anyone connected to the company.
- If they do, discuss whether or not you can mention their name in your cover letter.
- Ask if they would be willing to hand deliver your resume to the hiring manager.
- Most employers now require job seekers to apply online, through e-mail or various application processes.
- On the other hand, many hiring managers have expressed to Piotrowski that they miss receiving hard-copy submissions that they can actually hold.
- Sending both an electronic and hard copy ensures that the employer still receives your resume, in case one is lost.
- Two days after sending both the electronic and hard-copy of your resume and cover letter, resend another hard-copy.
- In the upper-right corner of your cover letter, handwrite “Second Submission. I’m very interested.”
- Identify 25 to 100 companies where you want to work and mail your resume and cover letter directly to them, even though they may not be hiring.
- Consider using a phone book to identify target employers.
- Studies show that one-third of all positions are filled through this method, but less than 10 percent of job seekers actually do this.
Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. Her articles help people find meaningful work, develop their career and life plans, and carry out effective job search campaigns.
