Employment Spot

Resume Distribution Secrets

Just because you’ve completed your resume doesn’t guarantee anyone will see it! We’ve gathered some helpful tips for effective resume distribution to ensure you get your resume into the hands of the right recruiters and human resource departments.

Post Your Resume Online

Most job sites offer free opportunities for you to post your resume online for employers to find you. You can post anonymously, as well as search through job openings and send your resume directly to employers. See our job sites page for a list of many of those sites.

Read the Classifieds

Whether in your local paper or nationally over the Web, you can look over hundreds of open positions all in one place. These ads will give you exact contact information as well as specific details concerning the job(s) available. However, remember that if there is not much information given about the company, don’t forget to do your homework so you can modify your cover letter appropriately.

Just Apply!

Most companies do not advertise all of their open positions. By going to the Web sites of companies you are interested in working for, you will more than likely be able to find an "apply online" page where you can submit your resume at no charge. If not, simply send your resume in to the human resources department. Positions open up all the time and having your resume available when they do gives you a leg up on the competition.

Attend Job Fairs

Even if you’re not in college anymore, most major cities hold job fairs targeting seasoned professionals. These events can introduce you to a variety of different companies all in one place, all looking for qualified candidates such as yourself! You can even get a list of the employers that will be attending the job fair ahead of time in order to appropriately prepare yourself and ensure a good impression. Just be sure you bring plenty of resumes! See our Job Fairs page to find a job fair in your area.

Network Everyone You Know

Networking is an extremely effective way of getting your resume into the hands of potential employers. Talk to your friends and family members and tell them what you are looking for in a career. Ask them if they know anyone who could help you with anything — from further networking to direct job connections. These people who already know you and trust you should be more than happy to help you out with your career! If you’re new to networking, check out other Employment Spot features on networking.

Use Guerrilla Resume Strategies

There are many ways to obtain contact information of employers. Some companies offer you a list of thousands of email addresses for either a monthly fee or a flat one-time rate. Other companies offer published books of contact listings and some may even include valuable information about the companies listed (however, these books are often pricey and dated). Instead you can save time and aggravation by signing up with a program such as Resume Direct which does all the job hunting for you. Resume Direct finds the jobs that match your skills and qualifications and sends your resume to thousands of credible recruiters so you don’t have to.

Use Email

The best way to get your resume in front of a hiring manager’s eyes it through email. When emailing your resume, remember to put your name and the position and title (and, if you know it, the job number) in the subject line. Unclear subjects will likely be trashed without being opened at all.

Also, when sending a resume as an attachment, include your name in the file name. An attachment labeled "resume" will not tell the employer whose it is at a glance.

And as obvious as it may seem, send your resume from a credible sounding email address. Hottlips4u@hotmail.com may cause a stir, but will certainly not secure you the position.

Always Follow Up

Don’t forget to follow up on those resumes you sent in! This will not only remind employers that they received a resume from you, but also lets them know that you are truly interested in the position.

Happy hunting!

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