How to Send a Resume To a Company

The Purpose of Resumes

Exactly what is the purpose of sending a resume to a prospective employer ?

Detailed Life History

Resumes are a part of the job-seeking process. Whenever you send a resume to someone, its sole purpose is to gain you an interview.  However, some people still think their resume alone will determine whether or not they are hired.  They pack a detailed life history into their resume, which usually ends up in the wastebasket.

Lists All The Highlights

The tendency to include too much information often results from focusing on yourself rather than on the prospective employer.  If you focus on yourself, there is a tendency to write a resume that lists all the highlights of your life and says what a great person you are.

Instead of concentrating on yourself as a person, think of yourself only in relation to the prospective employer.

Exactly what can you offer them ?

Why should they hire you instead of someone else ?

How do you measure up to what they need ?

ou are not interesting because of what you did in the past.  You are interesting because of your potential for doing something valuable for them in the future.

“Remember Your Resume Is Really A Selling Device, Not An Historical Fact Sheet.”

Your resume is really a selling device, not an historical fact sheet.  Yes, it will contain many facts about you, but they should be presented in such a way that the reader say, “here’s one that’s different.  Let’s set up an interview and learn more.”

Here are a few tips from the experts.

• First 

Be brief and don’t repeat yourself.  In two or three paragraphs describes what you have done and what you can do.  Give the reader the impression that you can do something valuable for his or her company.

• Second

Don’t elaborate on personal information and don’t bother with references.  Be thoroughly honest.  One out of five resumes continues outright lies.

• Lastly

Be neat.  First impressions count.  Sloppy resumes usually aren’t even read.

Remember, a resume is simply a selling tool to get you an interview.  A good one is more likely to do just that.