Resume Writer Matthew Greene, M.Phil.
In 2012, do you fax your resume to employers without
giving it a second thought? Well, it's the WORST way
of introducing yourself to a critical reader! In today's recession, it will usually be
FATAL. Nowadays, employers receive a daily avalanche of hundreds of unwanted resumes. Faxed resumes are treated as JUNK MAIL! The awful truth is that faxed resumes are SCREENED OUT THREE TIMES AS FAST as those that arrive in the mail! A recruiter who spends 10-15 seconds in scanning a mailed or emailed resume, will only have 5 SECONDS of patience with a faxed one. This explains why more than 95% of faxed resumes end up in FILE C the circular file! In order to fax it to a recruiter quickly, you will RUIN your first impression the laser printing and high quality resume paper you should always use. SO, WHAT'S THE RUSH? Speed is only necessary for junior-level vacancies which can be filled almost immediately. For most other positions, the hiring process takes from one to six weeks! Instead of a "suicidal" fax, email it as an attachment or hand-deliver your resume or "snail mail" it in a 9" x 12" envelope so that it arrives UNFOLDED.
Since you need to impress the reader of a faxed resume in 5 seconds or less, the first 10-15 lines of your resume are crucial mainly the JOB OBJECTIVE and SUMMARY sections. These should "sell" your track record, accomplishments, skills and abilities. In a faxed resume, bulleted "SELLING POINTS" are better than long, run-on sentences or gray paragraphs that tend to look like mashed potatoes. Anything important should jump out at the reader. ATTENTION-GETTERS such as borders, bullets, bolds and underlines are also more important in a faxed resume. [NOTE: The
purpose or role of BULLETS in
a job resume is often misunderstood. A bullet is a valuable attention-getting
device -- round black dots, arrows or asterisks. But many resumes contain
20-50 of them. That is a mistake! Bullets are NOT used to make a resume pretty. By highlighting so many lines,
you will FAIL to draw attention to
ANY line. Guaranteed. (Unfortunately, many resume templates are
"bullet-ridden" like this!) Your JOB OBJECTIVE should state not only what you are seeking but what you are offering. For example, your A-grades, track record in sales or strong communications and problem-solving skills. These are your first sales "hooks".
Next add a bulleted SUMMARY 6-10 selling points that cover your education, experience, achievements, skills and abilities. Each bullet must back up or support your JOB OBJECTIVE. (It's what people write in a cover letter.)
Your ACHIEVEMENTS and accomplishments should be indented to make them stand out. Don't bury these in the body copy which a busy reader might easily overlook.
Finally, to fax or not to fax your resume in 2011? Try your utmost to AVOID faxing it. However, if you must, always follow up a fax with a hard copy of your resume hand-delivered or by mail. It's good "INSURANCE". [Visit WINNING RESUMES BLOG for valuable recession "tips".]
mattgreene@aol.com
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