Resume Response Tips

The fast, easy, less successful way

The easiest way to respond to resumes posted on our site (and on other sites) is to
construct a standard message and paste it into the reply box of the resume and hit
the submit button. You can quickly send messages to lots of resume posters in a
very short time.

If you go by the numbers, you will probably receive some responses.

However,
Your response rate will be pretty low.

Why ?
Because you are one of many people doing the same thing. After the first time or
two, the resume posters catch on. They perceive that establishing a rapport is too
much of a time waster for you. They wonder if you even bothered to read their
resume.

Remember, resume posters have spent a big chunk of time filling out our form and
many of them have spent additional time tweeking and adjusting the resume after
we put it on-line. This is highly personal information. Machine-like responses are
viewed as disrespectful.

The slow but successful way

Take the time to view their resume. Notice an important personal, career or skill
characteristic. Comment on the characteristic at the start of the response. Use their
name. Remember "Dear Person Name" ? You'd be surprised how many people don't
bother with that simple courtesy.

We communicate with job seekers many, many times a day. We personalize our
message. You wouldn't believe the replies we get. People can't believe that real
humans actually read their e-mail and take just a moment to address their
concerns.

You will not be able to send as many messages obviously, but your chances of
getting a response will increase substantially.

Don't ask them to send a resume

Job seekers think that's pretty silly since you are looking at their "resume". They
don't realize that you want them to send their resume (fax, e-mail, mail) so you can
scan them and have them in your database. It might be wiser to have a couple of
e-mail communications before asking for the hardcopy of the resume.

If you don't get a response

have not acknowledged your e-mail, let us know and we'll verify that they received
your e-mail.

We send a message to all resume posters as soon as we have their resume on-line
asking them to send a reply within a few days so we are assured the e-mail address
is valid. We remove resumes if we don't get a response. Periodically, resume
posters change e-mail addresses and don't let us know. We pull off these resumes
too.

What about old resumes?

Resume posters have the option to post resumes for 3 months or 1 year on our site.
The one year option is intended for people with very specific low demand skills. The
default time is 3 months. Sometimes, people with high demand skills select the 1
year option. After about 3 months, responses to their resume drop off significantly.
They may have their resume still on our site because:
1. They forgot and don't get many responses anyway
2. They got a new job and are now a "passive candidate"
3. They didn't like any of the original responses
4. Their current work situation changed in their favor shortly after posting the
resume and they didn't tell us to remove it.
5. Probably a lot of other reasons related to ego, laziness, etc. A personalize, well
worded response might yield some surprises.

The bottom line

Show respect, personalize. You will be at a competitive advantage!!