Page 26 - Complete Idiot's Guide to The Perfect Resume

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Part 1 ➤ Plan to Succeed

Good Circulation

After you write your resume, you’ll want to get it into the hands of potential employers. A
good job-search strategy uses more than one means of distribution to ensure success. Read
on for some ways you can get your resume into circulation.

Bonus Check

Before sending your resume to an employer on your list, read it through carefully to see
whether you can tailor it for that particular job. After all, you want the best marketing
piece possible for each application.

A Little Help from Your Friends

Networking among friends, family, business associates, and people with influence in your
field is the most valuable means of getting an interview. Be sure to contact everyone you
know who might be helpful in this regard, and supply them with your resume and net-
working cards (you’ll learn about networking cards in Chapter 2) so they can pass the news
of your job search on to hiring managers.

Boss Wanted

You may have a company in mind, one you’d love to have as your
next employer. Even without knowing whether there are any job open-
ings, you can submit your resume to human resources, or the manager
Job-Hunt Hint of the department in which you’re interested. Your Job Objective state-
ment (which I cover in Chapter 6, “Step One: Heading Your Way”) and
Once you get your resume circu-
resume construction will clearly indicate your relevant skills.
lating, be ready to respond to
employers and recruiters who
offer you job opportunities. Do A Pocketful of Jobs
some research to know what
Many career centers, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations have
you’re worth in today’s job mar-
on-site job listings and telephone job hotlines. Some organizations
ket. (See Chapter 19, ”Getting
charge a fee for using them; others may ask you to do volunteer work
Hooked on the Internet” to
in exchange for the services they provide. To find such organizations,
learn ways to gather data online.
look in the Yellow Pages under employment-related headings such as
“Career Centers” and “Employment Agencies,” where you should find
private, nonprofit, and state-run organizations.

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