Follow the rules when sending your CV for review by a potential employer or job bank. Reach potential employers through the resume channels and formats they require. These aspects of resume submission usually vary by employer and by job. Don’t get creative with their processes. Many of us are tempted to embellish and send five references – when the employer only asks for three, as one example – or, as is often the case, the job seeker submits their resume to the employer in a document file format that does not match what the employer uses, so that no one in the company can read. Follow the procedure.
Sometimes you will be asked to send your CV in the body of the email rather than as an attachment. Sometimes the request is to send the CV only as a file attachment and only as an ASCII text file. Sometimes you will be asked to submit your login information via an online form or other alternative method. Requirements change frequently, so you need to be adaptable. Differences in file type requirements are caused by many factors – bandwidth usage, the way a company can distribute the resumes they collect, sometimes it’s to manage computer viruses – because viruses often appear in email attachments, to name just a few reasons , why you should strictly follow the instructions for submitting your resume. And while it may be hard to accept now, there will come a time when all that great custom design work you put on your resume—if you do—will never be seen.
More often than not, employers require text-only resumes. No colors, background patterns or digital artwork. Plain text. If you are not aware of the mechanics of saving files as text-only files or other text formats, or how to prepare your CV for scanning and inclusion in the database, ask someone with computer skills to explain and guide you through the procedures. Or search online for many free tutorials on these topics. These tasks are not difficult to perform or learn. And you’ll use these essential digital skills again and again in the modern job search.
On the other hand, there are times when a company asks to send your resume as an MS WORD file, which is not just a text document. So it is wise to have your resume ready as a text file as well as a MS WORD document. An MS WORD document has a file name that ends with a “.doc” file extension. An ASCII text-only file ends with the suffix “.txt” after the dot. These two file formats will allow you to send your resume in either ASCII or MS WORD format upon request. Whatever format an employer asks you to use, it’s a system they’ve come up with to process applicants quickly and efficiently. By accommodating their requests, you help keep their workload to a minimum and demonstrate your own willingness to be courteous and cooperative.
Another option is to ask the potential employer if it’s okay to send your resume in the easiest way possible – copy/paste your resume directly into the body of the email. Eliminates the need for attachments. Once you’ve done this, your short comments at the top of the email will become a concise, basic cover letter that will lead the reader directly to your resume, which is located below.
One job search strategy is for job seekers to send resumes to multiple contacts within the same company. In some cases, this is a viable approach to marketing your own skills. But beware, sending copies of your CV to multiple people in the same company is now becoming considered a breach of ‘netiquette’. Get permission first. If you are asked to send your resume by email, don’t send it by regular mail either – unless you ask for it. If you make changes to your resume, it is acceptable to send only a second copy as long as the body of the email that includes the attachment explains that there are revisions and tells the reader where they can find them in the body. resume. If there is no immediate progress, you should also feel free to resubmit your resume after ninety days. Most companies purge candidates from their “active” databases on ninety-day cycles, so submitting quarterly will keep you current in the database of the company you have a strong desire to work for.
Smart job seekers should be aware that there are some critical requirements for submitting resumes online, whether via a web form, email, file attachment, or other method. Get it wrong and your resume will be lost or shelved. Get it right and your resume will be in the hands of the hiring decision maker by morning. The resume submission strategies outlined in this article may seem like a weak force in your job search universe. When you consider how many things can go wrong in your job search – sometimes it’s as if gravity itself intervenes and quickly drags your job search to the ground or propels it forward at a sprint, depending on how much balance and focus you exert. The same goes for submitting your resume. Pay attention to details. Follow the rules.
GOOD LUCK IN YOUR JOB SEARCH
