Posting your resume online?

Recently a job seeker reached out to us seeking advice on their search. It was the first time they had proactively searched for a job, and they were baffled by what they had experienced thus far. This person posted their resume on line and was immediately bombarded with calls and emails about 100% commission sales jobs. He had no experience in sales nor did he have any interest in sales.

My first piece of advice: if you post your resume online, expect to get these types of calls regarding sales roles. Firms looking for sales people typically have individuals on their staffs that peruse the resume databases looking for job seekers and reach out to anyone and everyone in hopes of getting a bite.

1.   One way to manage this is to create a separate email account for your job search. At least your email inbox won’t be flooded with this kind of contact.

2.   Don’t include your phone number on your online resume/profile unless you are prepared for these types of calls.

3.   Specifically and clearly state in the profile that you create that you are not interested in commission based sales opportunities. It won’t stop all of these inquires, but if they are respectful it will at least cut them in half.

Some other tips:

1.     Create an internet friendly resume written with keywords that directly pertain to your background and experience because it will be read by a company ATS (applicant tracking system).

2.     Utilize the online job boards’ job email alerts and RSS feeds. 

3.     Write a cover letter speaking to the job you are applying for. 

4.     Keep your job search organized. Most online job boards allow you to save your searches in your account, so be sure to take advantage of this. Also, keep a log of the positions and organizations to which you’ve applied.

5.     Only apply to openings you are qualified for. Applying to numerous jobs that you are not qualified for is never a good idea. Another position may become available later that you are perfect for, but because you applied to a job earlier that you weren’t qualified for your credibility with the organization will be ruined.

6.     Keep your information up to date. Your resume must have current dates and contact information. Your employment and salary history must be exact.

7.     Double, triple, quadruple check your resume and online profile information for misspelled words and proper grammar.

8.     Your resume title/subject line/objective statement in your online profile is important. Be certain it is accurate and professional. 

Scot Dickerson, Capstone Search