If you’ve crafted a resume that’s visually appealing, easy to read and succinctly conveys why you’re the best person for the job, congratulations. Creating a solid resume is no easy feat. Now, with that task checked off, it might seem like the logical next step is to get your resume in front of as many eyes as possible. But that might not be the best way to land an interview.
Staying on top of who sees your resume – and who doesn’t – is what executive career coach and job search coach Rita Ashley calls resume hygiene. Ashley, the author of Job Search Debugged and Networking Debugged, believes the way you share your resume is almost as important as its content. Here, she explains how three common approaches for getting your resume to employers could backfire – and what to do instead.
Myth #1: Let people in your network pass your resume along.
When well-meaning friends and relatives ask you to send them your resume so they can show it around, Ashley’s advice, though contrary to conventional wisdom, is to politely decline their offer and refer them to your LinkedIn profile to share.
“If a hiring authority has your resume but it wasn’t sent by you, it appears you are not in control of your job search,” she said. “How you conduct your job search serves as an example of how you’ll do the job if you’re hired. If your job search style is uncontrolled, that may signal to the hiring manager that your style will be uncontrolled in your job role.”
Another significant reason to be in control of your resume is that it decreases your chances of getting caught in the contractual formalities that often exist between employers and recruiters. For example, if a friend submits your resume for a job without your knowledge and a recruiter has an agreement with the company to conduct the job search, that recruiter can’t represent you with that company. This kind of situation puts you at a disadvantage. A recruiter is in a position to demonstrate how the recruited applicant is superior, which means you’ll be up against a candidate who has the expertise and influence of the recruiter on their side.
Myth #2: Post your resume on job boards.
Job boards, like Indeed and Monster, are websites where you can browse job openings and post your resume for employers to see. However, you might want to think twice about the latter.
“If you submit your resume to a job board, it is highly likely a recruiter you did not designate can pick up your resume and send it anywhere in hopes of landing the job search,” Ashley explained. If that recruiter sends your resume in for a job and you later apply for that same job on your own or through a recruiter you’ve chosen, it’s likely the company won’t be able to pursue you unless that first recruiter is involved.
More often than not, Ashley said, a company will simply eliminate you from consideration at that point. “Most companies don’t want to get into recruiter wars,” she said. Her advice, not surprisingly, is to refrain from posting your resume to job boards.
Myth #3: Apply online to jobs posted on company websites.
Perhaps Ashley’s most surprising advice of all is to avoid applying online for jobs you find on company websites, if possible. “When a job is posted online it’s a global thing,” she said. “Applying online and attaching your resume simply puts you in the queue with hundreds, if not thousands, of other applicants from around the world who have applied for the same job.”
Ashley’s recommendation is to pursue an introduction first, which, she says, is the best avenue for getting a job. “Show the hiring manager you’re proactive and find someone who knows her and will introduce you,” she encouraged. “Use LinkedIn to figure out how you can make a connection.”
To find connections to a company, Ashley gives this tip: Type the company name in the People search box on LinkedIn. You’ll not only get a list of your connections associated with the company you’re interested in but also your connections’ connections associated with that company. And remember, Ashley noted, “You should approach the person you’re asking for an introduction with an elevator pitch that leaves no doubt that introducing you will make them look good, too.”
Keep in mind, there may be times when you contact a hiring authority and are told you still need to apply for the job online. If that happens, definitely do so. The point isn’t to try hounding the hiring authority until you get the job. The point, according to Ashley, is that getting an introduction can improve your odds of getting the job.
If you’re concerned that contacting the hiring manager through an introduction might appear too aggressive, Ashley offers this encouragement: “Remember, the hiring manager wants to fill the spot.” So, make it easy for them to choose you. “If you get an introduction to the hiring authority,” she said, “you rise to the top.”