Re: re Question about sending one's resume to companies

[John Posada <jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

> Bonnie writes:
> > A friend has suggested I send 200 or more 
> > e-mails containing my resume to companies 
> > as part of my job search.  I am not sure why, 
> > but I have resisted this idea in the past, 
> > thinking it was something that would not be
> > appreciated by the recipients. 
> 
> Let's see.  What wouldn't they appreciate?

Frankly, to be honest, I don't care what they wouldn't appreciate. If
they are going to call me with an available opportunity or see the
value of what they've received and passed it on to the right
position, they won't be offended...if they aren't, I don't care. 

What would I appreciate that doesn't matter to them?

I would appreciate being contacted by the hiring party when the
position we've been discussing for a couppe of weeks dries up because
they found some schmuck to take the position at $25/hr and they never
let me know.

I would appreciate being thought of as a possible intelligent asset
rather than below a copier maintenance contract. 

> They wouldn't appreciate being bothered if 
> reading resumes isn't their job.  So I hope,
> if the 200 addresses are from your friend, that
> they are addresses like hr -at-  -dot-  -dot-  -dot-  and jobs -at-  -dot-  -dot-  -dot-  
> and careers -at-  -dot-  -dot-  -dot-  etc.  If they're stan -at-  -dot-  -dot-  -dot-  and
> madge -at-  -dot-  -dot-  -dot-  and stu -at-  -dot-  -dot-  -dot-  then maybe you should
> check the companies' websites and get guaranteed
> HR department addresses.

Not all HR departments start with an organization in the email. I
send my resume every day to addresses that use a personal name.
 
> (As you check websites, you will find that
> some companies do actively encourage people
> to send resumes even if specific compatible
> jobs aren't currently listed.)
> 
> They wouldn't appreciate being bothered if
> later you're going to tell them you don't want
> to work for them anyway because you hate their
> products or their ecological practices or whatever.  
> So eliminate out any such companies from your list.

That isn't a factor in my case.

> And they wouldn't appreciate being bothered by
> anyone who lacks the qualifications they feel
> entitled to expect.  I have no telecommunications
> experience, for example, so I don't send my
> resume unsolicited to telecommunications companies.
> If I did, I'd make sure it was not with an "I can
> solve all your problems tomorrow" cover letter but
> with an "I'm a hard worker and a fast learner"
> cover letter.

I'd rather oversell (overselling and lying are two different
things...overselling is knowing you'll figure out how to do it if you
get it and lying is...well...lying) and grow into the position
instead of only approach positions where I'd be bored.

> I'm not so shy about answering a company that has
> explicitly advertised for a writer; but if I'm
> asking a company to listen to a pitch at my own
> initiative, I want to minimize the chance that 
> I'll need to fold my sample case up prematurely
> and apologize for wasting their time.

That's what the phone is for when lining up the appointment. In
sales, it goes:

1) Cold Call
2) Qualify
3) Pitch
4) Close

Besides...if you are sending out your resuke as a direct mail, so to
speak, they won't call you if they don't see something of value.

=====
John Posada, Senior Technical Writer
"I'm not flying...I'm falling with style"
             ---Buzz Lightyear
-----------------------------------------------
Current gig ending 5/15
Resume: http://www.tdandw.com/Resume_Posada_022202.doc
mailto:john -at- tdandw -dot- com, 732-259-2874

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