Four Resume Tools For An Effective Job Search
Campaign
By
Steve Burt Certified Professional Resume Writer
______________________________
How many fishermen do you know who only
have one lure in their tackle box or always use the same bait every time they
go fishing? None, probably. That's because a smart fisherman knows different
situations require different lures and different baits. A smart job hunter
knows this, too, and includes several types of lures and baits in his or her
job search tackle box to attract prospective employers within different
situations.
An effective job search requires four
types of resumes for use in four different types of submission approaches.
Each of these resume "end products" serves a distinct purpose in your job
search. Armed with all four submission products, you will be able to conduct
a full job search campaign using both traditional and electronic job search
methods, increasing your chances for a successful job search.
1. Word Processor
File
This file is at the heart of the job
search and forms the basis for each of the other resume types. As a
stand-alone file, it can be used as an attachment to e-mail messages so that
prospective employers can bring it up on their screen, view it, print it out,
and/or store it in their computer database. You can also copy the file to
floppy disks and use them as handouts to people you meet.
2. Printed Copies
This is the most commonly known resume
presentation used in a job search. The traditional printed resume has been
used successfully for years as a mailed submission and as a professional
presentation attached to an application form. Your printed resume should be
attractive and conservative in layout. It should be printed on high quality,
light-colored stationery. The text should be dark in color, preferably black.
If your resume is two-pages in length, or accompanied by a cover letter,
don't staple your documents together, but use a paper clip to bind. When
mailing your resume, use a 9x12 envelope so you can mail your documents
without folding. Following these guidelines will ensure that your documents
will arrive in good order and that they can be photocopied, faxed, or scanned
by the recipient with good results.
3. HTML Coded Resume
File
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the
language and coding system used for everything you see on the World Wide Web.
Although raw HTML code can be pretty intimidating, software is available that
can convert standard word-processed text into HTML code. This allows the HTML
resume to retain much of its format and attractive presentation. The bad news
is that the resulting file usually still needs some "tweaking" to make it
look good on the Web, and it may never hold the complete formatting that your
word processed file contains (although it's close). One of the advantages of
using a resume Web page in your job search is the ease and speed with which
you can submit your document to potential employers and companies of
interest. Your resume can be in the hands of the potential employer within
moments, and, unlike other quick submission methods (faxing, for example) the
resulting presentation is attractive, cost effective, and convenient. HTML
code also allows your e-mail address to be presented as a hyperlink in your
resume, making a response from your reader easy and simple. You can also
include a hyperlink (preferably at the bottom of your HTML resume) to your MS
Word file, so that interested employers can download this file of your resume
for inclusion into their resume databases. The resume Web page gives your
readers several convenient options for handling your resume, including:
reading from their computer screen, printing, saving to file, and bookmarking
for later review in addition to giving them a convenient way to respond to
you (via e-mail).
A couple of words of caution on your
resume Web page design:
Unless you're looking for a position
requiring skill in Web page design and graphics, be careful about adding
lots of graphics (especially large graphics) and colored background files
to your resume. These features can add significantly to the time it takes
for your page to load and can be especially bad if you're on a slow
server.
Also, some people like to add links
(on their Web resume) to current and previous employers' Web pages,
particularly when they've participated in the creation of these sites.
Before you do this, however, consider that when you include these
hyperlinks, you are actually sending readers away from your
document. Additionally, you may distract your readers' attention away
from your qualifications and hiring value for the position you're
currently targeting. You want to keep your reader focused on your
accomplishments and current career goals, rather than diverting their
attention somewhere else.
Once your HTML resume file has been
created, there are several different ways you can use it in your job
search:
Your own Web page - Most
Internet service providers and commercial on-line services include space
on their servers where you can post your own Web page as part of your
standard monthly service.
Submittal to employment-related
sites - Some employment-related Web sites accept HTML resume files
for searching by prospective employers. Most of these sites charge a
separate fee to convert your resume to HTML code and a separate fee to
post the resulting file. If your resume is already in HTML format, you
can save anywhere from $10 to $75.
E-mail to prospective
employers - Most e-mail software will automatically create a
hyperlink to your resume Web page when you include your URL in the body
of your message. This makes it easy for the recipient of your message to
go directly to your resume. When you include your URL in your messages,
it's important to use your full address and to surround it with the "<
>" symbols. For example: <http://www.1stresumes.com>.
Surrounding the URL with the "< >" symbols defines the full URL and
keeps it from including other text and/or symbols (the period at the end
of a sentence, for example, if your URL is at the end of the
sentence.)
Posting to Usenet Newsgroups
- You can include your resume Web page's URL in posting to the job search
and resume newsgroups in the same manner as you do for e-mail messages
described above.
4. ASCII Coded Resume
File
Like the HTML resume, the ASCII file
resume is also used for your online job search. Other than the fact they are
both used on the Internet and, therefore, are both referred to as "electronic
resumes", they share nothing else in common. The HTML resume contains rich
formatting that makes your resume come to life, visually, when posted as a
Web page. In contrast, the ASCII file resume is a very plain, text-only
version of your word-processed resume. Visually, this version bears
absolutely no resemblance to your HTML or word-processed resume. It has a
"typewriter" look to it and has no boldface type, italics, tabs, underlining,
or fancy fonts. While the least attractive of all the various resume end
products, it fills a need for certain situations where none of the other
formats will work. Its applications include:
Submittal to employment-related
sites - For those employment sites where you cannot post your HTML
resume, you will need to submit an ASCII file version. The procedure for
using your file this way is simple . . . just "cut and paste" the file to
the designated area on the Web site.
E-mail to prospective
employers - In some cases, you'll need to use the ASCII file of your
resume in your e-mail messages. For example, if you think the recipient
may only have e-mail service with no Web access, you'd want to "cut and
paste" your ASCII file into your message since the recipient wouldn't be
able to access your HTML Web page. Also, if you send your word processed
file as an attachment to your e-mail message and your recipient isn't
using the same word processing software you use, they won't be able to
read it. In this situation, you'll want to give them an ASCII file since
an ASCII file can be read by all word and text processors. Note that the
ASCII file used for cut and paste into e-mail messages is slightly
different from the ASCII file used for posting to employment-related
sites. For e-mail, your line length should be no longer than 65
characters and each line should have a "hard" carriage return at the
end.
Posting to Usenet Newsgroups
- Instead of including a hyperlink to your HTML resume Web page, you
could "cut and paste" your ASCII resume file into your newsgroup posting.
The advantage is that your resume is right there in front of the reader
when your posting appears. The disadvantage is that your resume won't be
nearly as attractive as your Web page resume. Of course, you could do
both.
You've filled your job search tackle box
with all the lures and bait you need . . . and you know where and how to use
them. So hang out your "Gone Fishing" sign and bring home a big
one!
______________________________
I'm a charter member of the Professional Association of
Resume Writers. I earned the designation of Certified Professional
Resume Writer in 1992 and have helped 1,000's of people reach their career
goals. I'd be happy to help you do the same. Read
more about my services.
Thanks,
Steven M. Burt
Certified Professional Resume Writer
