Congratulations! You’ve written your resume, and you’re ready to click send. Now, what?
Are you sure you’ve done everything you can to give your resume a fighting chance?
Having to figure out how to make a resume in the first place was the hard part. Sending your resume to a hiring manager may seem like the easiest step in the resume writing process. But it’s best to not trip at the finish line.
Here are a few tricks that you should try out before you click that send button.
The Number One Mistake You Could Be Making
One of the worst mistakes you can make is not proofreading your resume before you send it.
You want your resume to be perfect, and even if you’ve created the best resume, simple typos and silly spelling errors will get it thrown in the trash.
And typos can happen to the best of us.
The best thing you can do is have another person read through your resume. Having a second opinion has the added benefit of reviewing how you are coming across on your resume.
After someone you trust has proofread your resume, run it through an online language tool for good measure. Grammarly is a good app for that purpose.
How to Save Your Resume
Unless the hiring manager has requested your resume as a Word document, you should consider saving it as a PDF. When you save your resume as a Word document, you run the risk of having the formatting glitch when the hiring manager opens the file.
Do keep in mind that if you send your resume through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), special formatting may not be recognized by the system at all.
When you save the file, use your name as the file name. For example: “Jane Smith Resume.”
Your resume will be landing in an inbox flooded with hundreds of resumes all saved as “resume.” So, it’s best to personalize your file name to make it easier to locate.
Send a Personal Email to Differentiate Yourself
Another way to avoid having your resume disappear in the inbox bog is to try to send it directly to the hiring manager. The use of names to personalize communications is a marketing trick that works just as well when it comes to applying for a job. In fact, starting an email or a cover letter with “Dear Jane Smith” instead of “To whom it may concern” is scientifically proven to be more effective.
It has the double benefit of giving the reader a sense of control over the material they are reading and cutting down on information overload. And when a hiring manager is sifting through a pile of 100+ resumes, cutting down on information overload can only benefit you.
The first thing you will need to do is find their name.
Occasionally, the name of the hiring manager will be located on the job offer itself. If that’s the case, look no further.
If not, start by visiting LinkedIn. Human Resource staff often publish their current jobs and contact details on their profiles.
If you can’t find anyone on LinkedIn, call the company to find out who is filling the position. It is important to call as an email may not be answered.
Once you’ve got a name, you need the email address for the company.
The easiest way is to enter the following into Google:
“*@company.com” and your contact’s name.
Google may tell you if the company uses a specific email address format. Most companies use the same formula for email addresses, for example:
j.smith@company.com
john.smith@company.com
Once you’ve got the formula, you simply add the hiring manager’s name. If you can’t find a formula, try making variations of the hiring manager’s name and the domain.
If you need to make educated guesses about an address, you can double check the validity of your variations by using MailTester. It’s a free email address verification tool. It’s not flawless, but can help you sort through multiple addresses if necessary.
One More Secret That Will Help You Sleep at Night
Ever wonder what happens to your resume after clicking send? Did the recruiter even open your email? Now you don’t have to wonder.
Use an app like Yesware that has email tracking capabilities. If you download a free trial version, you will be able to track your resume and see when recruiters open and read your email.
Also, there is a greater chance that a recruiter will offer you an interview if you click that send button on a Monday or Tuesday. Why?
Most job postings go live at the beginning of the week (58% Monday – Wednesday). And 60% of resumes are sent the same week. The longer you wait, the more competition you will have to face.
So, there is some truth in the saying “the early bird gets the worm” after all.
Key Takeaway
It only takes a few moments to personalize a file, proofread a resume, and search for a hiring manager’s email. And it’s so worth it.
After hitting send, you will be able to relax, knowing that your resume is easy to find and in the right inbox. And you can rest assured that it won’t get trashed over some silly typo.
And one less thing to worry about is always a good thing. Am I right?
Pass this advice to your friends. Share with them.
Subscribe to us
100% Free.
close