Monday, January 10, 2005
How to Save a Small Fortune In Resume Distribution
HOW TO SAVE A SMALL FORTUNE IN YOUR RESUME DISTRIBUTION
by Mark Bartz
Put away your wallet. You don't need to drop hundreds - or many thousands - of dollars to blindly blast your resume to the right employer. Here are six easy steps which will save time and money, and land you interviews in the unadvertised job market. This information comes from your peers, especially sales & marketing professionals: we followed with up (literally) hundreds of them during their job searches to learn the latest best practices for resume distribution. This information also comes from major employers who source us for America's top sales & marketing talent.
What to expect: a 6 - 9% response rate vs. the normal 1 - 2% response rate.
Step 1: Submit your resume initially by e-mail. Set e-mail type to HTML - not plain next. Don't convert your resume to PDF - it doesn't scan. Set your spell check so you can't send anything out without first checking spelling. And don't use an e-mail stationary, use a white background - no color or graphics. E-mail each employer individually - mass e-mailing triggers anti-spam software. Word-wrap your sentences at 60 characters - this prevents those awkward looking e-mails with fragmented sentences.
Send your cover letter (with contact information) in the email body and your resume as an attached document. Be sure the cover letter is addressed to the recipient or Attn: HR. "Resume of (Your Name) for (Job Title)" makes a perfect e-mail subject line. If you can, set your e-mail options as follows: the Importance to 'High', the Sensitivity to 'Confidential' - almost no one does this and it gets you noticed [*Editor's Note: Mark does this himself and we assure you, his emails get noticed!]. In the body of the e-mail, be sure to state that "I am pursuing a (fill in the blank) role with your organization." And "I've attached my resume for your review and look forward to your response." Finally, run anti-virus software frequently! Annoying little viruses may be interfering with your "open rates" as most companies run server-side anti-virus products.
Step 2: At the same time you're e-mailing the employer mail them a hard copy resume. Print with a laser printer on white 24 lb white paper with a lumens rating of at least 90. Don't use 'resume paper' unless you're presenting the resume in person (it doesn't scan as well as white paper). Mail out flat in a gray envelope: folds don't scan well and white envelopes get dirty moving through the mail. Hand write or computer-print addresses on mailing labels - and be sure to use a waterproof (non-smear) pen.
Step 3: Send a follow up e-mail to the same e-mail address you used in Step I. In the e-mail subject header, put: "Follow up to resume of (your name)." In the body of the e-mail, paraphrase the following:
Attn: Human Resources:
I am following up to be sure you received my resume, and to see if there is an opportunity for an interview. I am seeking a role in (fill in blank) with your organization. I look forward to meeting you in person, and I welcome your referral to any colleagues who may be interested in my unique background and skills.
Step 4: Mail a follow-up card, using the verbiage above; hand-write the note. If your handwriting is like mine (terrible!) then slow down and print the note. Use the 'thank you' blank tent cards they sell at Staples, Office Depot, etc., which price out to about 50 cents each plus postage, but this is the kicker: you get a 400% better response with those notes vs. not using them!
Step 5: Some discreet guerilla marketing tactics: if you find an employer asking for resumes by fax but not disclosing who they are, call that fax number but change the last digit in the phone number (it will likely be a person sitting next to the fax machine); use your finesse to ask that person for an appropriate contact name within HR or the division you're targeting. If you must fax, set your fax mode to "Fine." You'll likely find your fax machine currently in the "Standard" mode - switching to Fine mode will slow down the fax but typically doubles the clarity of the recipient's fax - test send once to see the marked improvement for yourself.
Call the department you're considering working for and ask them to recommend a professional association for you to join. Attend meetings of that professional association as a visitor, but be sure to get training on the latest techniques in networking and informational interviewing before you try this! This sort of networking requires a light touch, particularly for the full-time job-seeker.
Even if you have a contact in the organization, always phone the front lobby of the company to ask for names of HR or the appropriate hiring manager - it goes without saying to get their name spelling and their title correct. Remember there's a high turnover rate of employees at all levels these days (50% every 2.4 years according to the Dept of Labor), so gathering accurate contact names can be a chore but makes a much bigger impact.
Step 6: Re-send your updated resume every few months while you're conducting a search, because most employers purge their resume databases at regular intervals. How often? It depends on the employer - we've seen Fortune 1000-level employers purge resumes older than 90 days; they need to considering they receive an average of 400 resumes daily. A second reason they purge their files: to avoid legal discrimination (EEOC) suits. Regulatory compliance is also one of the major reasons larger employers use resume scanning systems (called HRMS or applicant tracking systems) these days - as those systems time-stamp all incoming resumes.
Mark Bartz is Director of Marketing for CRI,
a specialized job placement assistance firm for Sales & Marketing
professionals. CRI is also a consultant on applicant tracking systems.
by Mark Bartz
Put away your wallet. You don't need to drop hundreds - or many thousands - of dollars to blindly blast your resume to the right employer. Here are six easy steps which will save time and money, and land you interviews in the unadvertised job market. This information comes from your peers, especially sales & marketing professionals: we followed with up (literally) hundreds of them during their job searches to learn the latest best practices for resume distribution. This information also comes from major employers who source us for America's top sales & marketing talent.
What to expect: a 6 - 9% response rate vs. the normal 1 - 2% response rate.
Step 1: Submit your resume initially by e-mail. Set e-mail type to HTML - not plain next. Don't convert your resume to PDF - it doesn't scan. Set your spell check so you can't send anything out without first checking spelling. And don't use an e-mail stationary, use a white background - no color or graphics. E-mail each employer individually - mass e-mailing triggers anti-spam software. Word-wrap your sentences at 60 characters - this prevents those awkward looking e-mails with fragmented sentences.
Send your cover letter (with contact information) in the email body and your resume as an attached document. Be sure the cover letter is addressed to the recipient or Attn: HR. "Resume of (Your Name) for (Job Title)" makes a perfect e-mail subject line. If you can, set your e-mail options as follows: the Importance to 'High', the Sensitivity to 'Confidential' - almost no one does this and it gets you noticed [*Editor's Note: Mark does this himself and we assure you, his emails get noticed!]. In the body of the e-mail, be sure to state that "I am pursuing a (fill in the blank) role with your organization." And "I've attached my resume for your review and look forward to your response." Finally, run anti-virus software frequently! Annoying little viruses may be interfering with your "open rates" as most companies run server-side anti-virus products.
Step 2: At the same time you're e-mailing the employer mail them a hard copy resume. Print with a laser printer on white 24 lb white paper with a lumens rating of at least 90. Don't use 'resume paper' unless you're presenting the resume in person (it doesn't scan as well as white paper). Mail out flat in a gray envelope: folds don't scan well and white envelopes get dirty moving through the mail. Hand write or computer-print addresses on mailing labels - and be sure to use a waterproof (non-smear) pen.
Step 3: Send a follow up e-mail to the same e-mail address you used in Step I. In the e-mail subject header, put: "Follow up to resume of (your name)." In the body of the e-mail, paraphrase the following:
Attn: Human Resources:
I am following up to be sure you received my resume, and to see if there is an opportunity for an interview. I am seeking a role in (fill in blank) with your organization. I look forward to meeting you in person, and I welcome your referral to any colleagues who may be interested in my unique background and skills.
Step 4: Mail a follow-up card, using the verbiage above; hand-write the note. If your handwriting is like mine (terrible!) then slow down and print the note. Use the 'thank you' blank tent cards they sell at Staples, Office Depot, etc., which price out to about 50 cents each plus postage, but this is the kicker: you get a 400% better response with those notes vs. not using them!
Step 5: Some discreet guerilla marketing tactics: if you find an employer asking for resumes by fax but not disclosing who they are, call that fax number but change the last digit in the phone number (it will likely be a person sitting next to the fax machine); use your finesse to ask that person for an appropriate contact name within HR or the division you're targeting. If you must fax, set your fax mode to "Fine." You'll likely find your fax machine currently in the "Standard" mode - switching to Fine mode will slow down the fax but typically doubles the clarity of the recipient's fax - test send once to see the marked improvement for yourself.
Call the department you're considering working for and ask them to recommend a professional association for you to join. Attend meetings of that professional association as a visitor, but be sure to get training on the latest techniques in networking and informational interviewing before you try this! This sort of networking requires a light touch, particularly for the full-time job-seeker.
Even if you have a contact in the organization, always phone the front lobby of the company to ask for names of HR or the appropriate hiring manager - it goes without saying to get their name spelling and their title correct. Remember there's a high turnover rate of employees at all levels these days (50% every 2.4 years according to the Dept of Labor), so gathering accurate contact names can be a chore but makes a much bigger impact.
Step 6: Re-send your updated resume every few months while you're conducting a search, because most employers purge their resume databases at regular intervals. How often? It depends on the employer - we've seen Fortune 1000-level employers purge resumes older than 90 days; they need to considering they receive an average of 400 resumes daily. A second reason they purge their files: to avoid legal discrimination (EEOC) suits. Regulatory compliance is also one of the major reasons larger employers use resume scanning systems (called HRMS or applicant tracking systems) these days - as those systems time-stamp all incoming resumes.
Mark Bartz is Director of Marketing for CRI,
a specialized job placement assistance firm for Sales & Marketing
professionals. CRI is also a consultant on applicant tracking systems.
