Ten Tips on How to Submit a Resume

What to Consider When Applying for a Job

Jul 13, 2007 Deborah S. Hildebrand

Everyone has opinions about the right or wrong way of putting together a resume package and sending it to a recruiter. Here are ten tips on how to do it the best way.

Most job applicants want to stand out from the pack – for the right reason. However, many applicants neglect to think about the best way in which to actually submit a resume. Making a good first impression with the recruiter means taking certain steps to provide the requested information in an understandable and easy to read format.

While there are several conflicting viewpoints on best resume submission practices, consider these ten suggestions when submitting a resume for an employment opportunity:

· Send it by email. Some organizations will not accept attachments. Therefore, when sending a resume by email, consider including it both in the body of the email as well as in an attachment. This gives the recruiter the option on how to view it.

· Fax as a last resort. While still a popular way of sending and receiving resumes, there can be problems with blurred or lost information. In addition, faxing requires companies to store these hard copies in a file cabinet somewhere. If faxing is the only option, keep in mind that the font on the resume must be large enough to read. That means no smaller than 12 pt.

· The truth about cover letters. Many people believe that cover letters are a standard part of the application package. However, when writing a cover letter consider the purpose. Is there anything that will be said in the letter – reasons for job change, salary details -- that isn’t already captured in the resume? If not, make it a brief introduction and that's all.

· Email and cover letters. For those who feel compelled to send a cover letter, when sending a resume by email, don’t send a separate cover letter as an attachment. Include it in the body of the email.

· What job do you want? Don’t forget to indicate the job title listed in the job posting. Don’t leave it up to the recruiter to figure it out. Best bet: include the job title in the email subject line or on the fax cover sheet.

· Got Word? While some people choose to use other formats – Excel, PDF -- to develop their resumes, Word is generally the most widely accepted.

· What’s all the brouhaha about salary? If a job posting requests salary information, include something other than “negotiable.” Either indicate current or most recent salary or provide an acceptable salary range. Keep in mind that the range shouldn’t be too broad. A five to ten thousand dollar spread at most.

· Save a few trees. Don’t include references or other extras (e.g. certificates, degrees, reference letters) – especially if faxing -- unless the ad specifically requests this information. That’s just way too much paper.

· Don’t forget the resume. Don’t respond to a job posting with an email indicating a link to a web site and the suggestion that the recruiter or hiring manager go look for the resume themselves. Although links to creative works are acceptable.

· Objectives and references are out. While a lot of applicants still include an objective at the beginning and a statement indicating that references are available upon request at the end of their resume, both are passé. An objective indicates the applicant’s wants which doesn’t always correlate with an employer’s needs, while saying that references are available is stating the obvious.

The copyright of the article Ten Tips on How to Submit a Resume in Career Advice is owned by Deborah S. Hildebrand. Permission to republish Ten Tips on How to Submit a Resume in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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