PAYOFF
The problem with trying to find a job through the newspaper want ads is that there is extreme competition to even get an interview. The companies that place ads are getting as many as 100 resumes per ad. The place I interviewed at yesterday said that they STOPPED COUNTING at 100. Standing out in the mass of paper is a difficult thing to do. I have been hanging in there, getting about a 30% return on my resume. I was told by one interviewer that my cover letter stood out because it was not only well written, but it was obviously original. I guess a lot of people are using resume builder software and the cover letters that the companies are getting are carbon copies of the other ones, with just the personal details changed.
I had been racking my brain trying to figure out how to make my resume stand out more, while still being professional. My personal deadline to find a job is coming up (October 1st) so I am really trying to push it and get some exposure.
I had a brainstorm when I was falling asleep on Sunday night and this was the result:
For emailed resumes, this is what the subject line said:
IF I AM THE 100TH APPLICANT, DO I WIN A PRIZE? RESUME ENCLOSED
For faxed resumes, this was the first line:
STOP! READ ME!
The body of both messages was this:
If your company is anything like the other places that I have been sending my resumes to, this is one of the 100 resumes that you are going to receive in response to your 9/26 employment ad.
Lucky for you, you can stop now and give me a call. I would love to meet with you and see if I could be a valuable addition to your team!
Please check out the attached cover letter and resume (which are a tad more professional than the screaming subject line -- but if you are reading this, the screaming has served its purpose!)
Thank you so much for your consideration and good luck sifting through the rest of the resumes!
Sincerely,
Hammie
I spent around an hour and a half on the computer at Kinko's yesterday, emailing 7 resumes out in between checking emails and such. I ended up getting THREE responses before I even got out of Kinko's. I ended up setting up one interview (that I went to this morning and it went great! That is with the Bridges at the top of my wish list). I faxed another 20 or so last night and when I got out of my interview this morning at 9:30, I already had two messages and I have had three more phone calls since today (and it is only noon!!) I have two more interviews this afternoon and I have two tomorrow.
So I was worried that the fax and email letters would come off as unprofessional and I thought is was a risky move, but I gambled and it paid off! I am stoked! I am sure I will be starting work somewhere on Monday!!
Yay me!
Gotta run...interview in an hour!
The problem with trying to find a job through the newspaper want ads is that there is extreme competition to even get an interview. The companies that place ads are getting as many as 100 resumes per ad. The place I interviewed at yesterday said that they STOPPED COUNTING at 100. Standing out in the mass of paper is a difficult thing to do. I have been hanging in there, getting about a 30% return on my resume. I was told by one interviewer that my cover letter stood out because it was not only well written, but it was obviously original. I guess a lot of people are using resume builder software and the cover letters that the companies are getting are carbon copies of the other ones, with just the personal details changed.
I had been racking my brain trying to figure out how to make my resume stand out more, while still being professional. My personal deadline to find a job is coming up (October 1st) so I am really trying to push it and get some exposure.
I had a brainstorm when I was falling asleep on Sunday night and this was the result:
For emailed resumes, this is what the subject line said:
IF I AM THE 100TH APPLICANT, DO I WIN A PRIZE? RESUME ENCLOSED
For faxed resumes, this was the first line:
STOP! READ ME!
The body of both messages was this:
If your company is anything like the other places that I have been sending my resumes to, this is one of the 100 resumes that you are going to receive in response to your 9/26 employment ad.
Lucky for you, you can stop now and give me a call. I would love to meet with you and see if I could be a valuable addition to your team!
Please check out the attached cover letter and resume (which are a tad more professional than the screaming subject line -- but if you are reading this, the screaming has served its purpose!)
Thank you so much for your consideration and good luck sifting through the rest of the resumes!
Sincerely,
Hammie
I spent around an hour and a half on the computer at Kinko's yesterday, emailing 7 resumes out in between checking emails and such. I ended up getting THREE responses before I even got out of Kinko's. I ended up setting up one interview (that I went to this morning and it went great! That is with the Bridges at the top of my wish list). I faxed another 20 or so last night and when I got out of my interview this morning at 9:30, I already had two messages and I have had three more phone calls since today (and it is only noon!!) I have two more interviews this afternoon and I have two tomorrow.
So I was worried that the fax and email letters would come off as unprofessional and I thought is was a risky move, but I gambled and it paid off! I am stoked! I am sure I will be starting work somewhere on Monday!!
Yay me!
Gotta run...interview in an hour!
2 Comments:
Yay Hammie!
That is really awesome! You go girl!
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