A resume blitz yield little results: The problem?

QUESTION: My friend “Faye,” said she has sent out over 100 résumés in the last month. I don’t know how she finds the time because she (works full-time). It seems to me she should apply for just a few jobs every week instead because she has had only one company contact her.

Do you agree or do you think it is because she wrote her résumé herself? I didn’t want to hurt her feelings when she showed it to me, but if I was a (hiring manager) I wouldn’t contact her either.

Gillespie: Both reasons you give are correct. Why? What “Faye” is doing is called a résumé blitz. Sometimes this works (pardon the pun). But more often than not it won’t. Add to that the fact that she “wrote her résumé herself” and she is lucky she has had any response at all.

So, since she already has a job, if I were you I’d suggest to “Faye” that she stop sending out résumés and contact a credentialed résumé writer. He or she will be able to create a résumé for her that has a lot better chance of impressing hiring managers.

“Faye” should also ask about a cover letter template. Then, instead of writing a new cover letter every time, all she will need to do is personalize it. This includes changing the hiring manger’s name and title and editing the paragraph about why she believes her skills and abilities will be a good match for their job opening.

Note: If the hiring manager’s name and title is not included in the job posting, and she can’t find it by visiting their website, “Faye” should call the company. Using “To Whom It May Concern” needs to be avoided whenever possible.

Once her “marketing documents” are ready she can re-start her job search by applying for a maximum of 5 jobs each week. She should also be pro-active. If she doesn’t get a response within a reasonable amount of time, she should call them.

In addition, “Faye” should keep a record of the jobs she applies for including the date she applied, information she has learned about the company, and why she is interested in working for them.

You may submit job and career questions for Judy to judy@careeravenuesbyjudy.com