FOUR RESUME TOOLS FOR AN EFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH CAMPAIGN

How many fishermen do you know who only have one lure in their tackle box or always use the same bait every time they go fishing? None, probably. That's because a smart fisherman knows different situations require different lures and different baits. A smart job hunter knows this, too, and includes several types of lures and baits in his or her job search tackle box to attract prospective employers within different situations.

An effective job search requires four types of resumes for use in four different types of submission approaches. Each of these resume "end products" serves a distinct purpose in your job search. Armed with all four submission products, you will be able to conduct a full job search campaign using both traditional and electronic job search methods, increasing your chances for a successful job search.

1. Word Processor File

This file is at the heart of the job search and forms the basis for each of the other resume types. As a stand-alone file, it can be used as an attachment to e-mail messages so that prospective employers can bring it up on their screen, view it, print it out, and/or store it in their computer database. You can also copy the file to floppy disks and use them as handouts to people you meet.

2. Printed Copies

This is the most commonly known resume presentation used in a job search. The traditional printed resume has been used successfully for years as a mailed submission and as a professional presentation attached to an application form. Your printed resume should be attractive and conservative in layout. It should be printed on high quality, light-colored stationery. The text should be dark in color, preferably black. If your resume is two-pages in length, or accompanied by a cover letter, don't staple your documents together, but use a paper clip to bind. When mailing your resume, use a 9x12 envelope so you can mail your documents without folding. Following these guidelines will ensure that your documents will arrive in good order and that they can be photocopied, faxed, or scanned by the recipient with good results.

3. HTML Coded Resume File

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the language and coding system used for everything you see on the World Wide Web. Although raw HTML code can be pretty intimidating, software is available that can convert standard word-processed text into HTML code. This allows the HTML resume to retain much of its format and attractive presentation. The bad news is that the resulting file usually still needs some "tweaking" to make it look good on the Web, and it may never hold the complete formatting that your word processed file contains (although it's close). One of the advantages of using a resume Web page in your job search is the ease and speed with which you can submit your document to potential employers and companies of interest. Your resume can be in the hands of the potential employer within moments, and, unlike other quick submission methods (faxing, for example) the resulting presentation is attractive, cost effective, and convenient. HTML code also allows your e-mail address to be presented as a hyperlink in your resume, making a response from your reader easy and simple. You can also include a hyperlink (preferably at the bottom of your HTML resume) to your MS Word file, so that interested employers can download this file of your resume for inclusion into their resume databases. The resume Web page gives your readers several convenient options for handling your resume, including: reading from their computer screen, printing, saving to file, and bookmarking for later review in addition to giving them a convenient way to respond to you (via e-mail).

A couple of words of caution on your resume Web page design:

• Unless you're looking for a position requiring skill in Web page design and graphics, be careful about adding lots of graphics (especially large graphics) and colored background files to your resume. These features can add significantly to the time it takes for your page to load and can be especially bad if you're on a slow server.

• Also, some people like to add links (on their Web resume) to current and previous employers' Web pages, particularly when they've participated in the creation of these sites. Before you do this, however, consider that when you include these hyperlinks, you are actually sending readers away from your document. Additionally, you may distract your readers' attention away from your qualifications and hiring value for the position you're currently targeting. You want to keep your reader focused on your accomplishments and current career goals, rather than diverting their attention somewhere else.

• Your own Web page - Most Internet service providers and commercial on-line services include space on their servers where you can post your own Web page as part of your standard monthly service.

• Submittal to employment-related sites - Some employment-related Web sites accept HTML resume files for searching by prospective employers. Most of these sites charge a separate fee to convert your resume to HTML code and a separate fee to post the resulting file. If your resume is already in HTML format, you can save anywhere from $10 to $75.

• E-mail to prospective employers - Most e-mail software will automatically create a hyperlink to your resume Web page when you include your URL in the body of your message. This makes it easy for the recipient of your message to go directly to your resume. When you include your URL in your messages, it's important to use your full address and to surround it with the "< >" symbols. For example:

  <http://www.1stresumes.com>.

  Surrounding the URL with the "< >" symbols defines the full URL and keeps it from including other text and/or symbols (the period at the end of a sentence, for example, if your URL is at the end of the sentence.)

• Posting to Usenet Newsgroups - You can include your resume Web page's URL in posting to the job search and resume newsgroups in the same manner as you do for e-mail messages described above.

  
  

4. ASCII Coded Resume File

• Submittal to employment-related sites - For those employment sites where you cannot post your HTML resume, you will need to submit an ASCII file version. The procedure for using your file this way is simple . . . just "cut and paste" the file to the designated area on the Web site.

• E-mail to prospective employers - In some cases, you'll need to use the ASCII file of your resume in your e-mail messages. For example, if you think the recipient may only have e-mail service with no Web access, you'd want to "cut and paste" your ASCII file into your message since the recipient wouldn't be able to access your HTML Web page. Also, if you send your word processed file as an attachment to your e-mail message and your recipient isn't using the same word processing software you use, they won't be able to read it. In this situation, you'll want to give them an ASCII file since an ASCII file can be read by all word and text processors. Note that the ASCII file used for cut and paste into e-mail messages is slightly different from the ASCII file used for posting to employment-related sites. For e-mail, your line length should be no longer than 65 characters and each line should have a "hard" carriage return at the end.

• Posting to Usenet Newsgroups - Instead of including a hyperlink to your HTML resume Web page, you could "cut and paste" your ASCII resume file into your newsgroup posting. The advantage is that your resume is right there in front of the reader when your posting appears. The disadvantage is that your resume won't be nearly as attractive as your Web page resume. Of course, you could do both.

You've filled your job search tackle box with all the lures and bait you need . . . and you know where and how to use them. So hang out your "Gone Fishing" sign and bring home a big one!