This is a familiar scenario. You know how to create a dynamite resume and send it via snail mail, fax or email. You know all the design techniques, but how do you make sure it creates the most impact? Simple. The answer is distribution. Make sure all those that are associated with the announced position are notified that you are THE candidate.

Over the past 29 years of career consulting, I have noticed that most still play the follow the follower routine. Job seekers are so concerned with the design of their resume, they neglect to determine the best routes of distribution. I encourage those who have spent so much time in the design of their resume to continue on with the same passion for distribution. The purpose of this article is to identify the distribution contacts and how they can work together to provide the maximum results. When preparing to mail your resume ask yourself a few key questions:

• Who are they telling me to send my resume to?
• Is the contact's name mentioned?
• Who else would I be interacting with once I am hired in this position?
• What contact bases do I need to cover with my resume?
• How should I follow up to insure they have my resume?

Let's address these questions to shed light on distribution.

Who are they telling me to send my resume to? Is the contact's name mentioned?

Check the ad or the job description and determine who are they telling you to send the resume to. Is it HR or the department that will be hiring the position? If it is HR, do not send them the original resume and cover letter. HR is the filtering department and generally cannot make the final hiring decision. The exception would be if it is a HR position that you are applying for.

What contact bases do I need to cover with my resume?

Get the name and title of the person this position will be reporting to and send the original cover letter and resume to that contact. That is the person with the greatest need. You need to focus in on that person and send all materials to their attention. If the decision maker is a department head or VP there might be several managers or supervisors reporting to that person. You might want to :cc at least one of those managers, especially the one that you will have the most interaction with once you are hired. How do you know which manager fits that criteria? Simple…ask! It is biblically based and you should use that principal. So basic and it opens so many doors.

Who else would I be interacting with once I am hired in this position?

Do your due diligence and find out who also works in your desired department. Other department heads might be good contact too : cc as well (if applicable). For example, if you are working in the marketing department, you will need the department heads of sales, finance and public relations. They could also be on your panel interview. It is best to get to know who they are...now!

Now that you have the names, go one step further. On all your correspondence :cc the HR Director. Make sure the HR Director receives a :cc on all original and follow up materials. But wait there's more…

If you are applying to a company that has more than 500 employees, you might also want to :cc your future boss's boss. Once again call and get the name and title of who would be over your new boss. This serves many purposes:

It shows that you did your research on the company and are aware of who knows who. It gives the impression that you might know these people and projects more value as a candidate. It motivates HR to invite you in just on the chance that you might know these people. Most hiring managers that receive a copy of your cover letter and resume send it to HR. This implies they have reviewed the materials and are indirectly endorsing you as a desirable candidate. In our surveys of candidates that have incorporated these techniques, their interview invitation rate at least quadrupled! Make sure that you are also using keywords in all your resumes. It's one thing to get numerous hits from your scannable resume, but it is quite another when they access your materials and it has the major company contacts noted. One closing note is that make sure you are professional in all your materials. Project that corporate look and the professional image will shine through.

How should I follow-up to insure they have my resume?

Make a call within 3 workdays after mailing the resume. Contact the department and your future boss. Tell the person that you are following up on your resume. Ask these four questions.

• Did you receive my resume and cover letter?
• Is all in order?
• What else do you require at this time?
• When would you suggest that I follow-up?

1 Timothy 6:1-2
Christians who are slaves should give their masters full respect so that the name of God and his teaching will not be shamed. 2If your master is a Christian, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. You should work all the harder because you are helping another believer by your efforts.

Insights:

We should live in constant contact and communication with God. When we do, we all will be unified with Christ and with one another.

We must not cling to our own ideas and try to blend them into Christianity. Nor should we let our hunger for a more fulfilling Christian experience cause us to trust in a teacher, a group or a system of thought more than in Christ himself. Christ is our hope and our true source of wisdom.

May God bless you in the job search.

By: Jeff Farmer, CCC
©Christian Employment Resource, 2000