Resumes - How to Use

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Below are some tips to help you use your resume more effectively.

Target your resume

Create a slightly different resume for each employer if you need to. Essentially the resume says the same thing, but has slight edits that match you and your qualifications to the specific position you are applying for. Show employers that you know a lot about them and their business in your resume and cover letter. This will require some time and effort on your part, but pays off in the long-run with an increased number of positive responses.

Send resumes to people, not places

Avoid sending the resume to a job title such as "Production Manager" or places like "Human Resource Department." Take the extra effort and find out the name and title of the appropriate person to whom your resume should be sent.

Send it where they ask you to

If asked to send your resume to personnel or human resources divisions, do so. Then also send a resume to the person in charge of the department in which you want to work. Most of the time, personnel does the screening but it's the department manager who is the final hiring authority.

Send your resume with a cover letter

Never send it by itself. Your cover letter explains your intentions in details you are not able to include in a resume. And it just looks more professional.

Don't mass-mail your resume

Mass-mailing your resume to as many employers as possible, with the hope that a few might get someone's attention, is not an effective strategy. Statistics indicate that for every 1,000 resumes you send to an employer, you can expect to get two interviews. Additionally, an accepted standard is that for every ten interviews, you will receive one job offer.

Get your resume out there

Send your resume to employers even if they are not hiring. Mass-mailing probably will not work, but if you target your resume and get it to the right person, you never know what the future will bring. Give it to every employer you meet with; even if they already have a copy. It helps them understand your qualifications. Give it to networking contacts who can be on the look out for job opportunities for you. Give it to your references, it will help them talk to others about your qualifications and find job opportunities for you.

Find out if your resume will be scanned

When researching an employer or an employment agency, find out if they use a resume scanning system. This information may be provided by the job listing or included with other information about the employer. If you don't know, you can call the employer and ask if they use resume scanners. If they do, make sure your resume fits the standards that make it easier to scan.

Attach it to job applications

If your application doesn't capture your best attributes, make sure your resume does. A resume enhances your application by demonstrating your qualifications and highlighting your abilities. If you are asked to fill out information on an application that you feel matches information in your resume, never write on the application "See resume." Take the time to fill out the application completely.

Follow-up

After sending a resume, follow-up by calling employers. It is no use mailing resumes if you do not take the time to follow-up on your efforts. Be courteous, professional, and sell your qualifications. Ask for an informational interview, if it is appropriate. If you are not getting responses or interviews from your resume, you may want to reevaluate it. The true test of an effective resume is that you are offered interviews.

Source: Creative Job Search, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
Page last updated in August 2008.