Resumé Blasting using
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How to Get Your Resumé Into the Hands of Recruiters and People Who are Hiring
By Michael T. Robinson
Last Update:
Resumé Blasting is a proven technique for getting your resumé into the hands of recruiters. We've been recommending this approach since 1999 when I first wrote about it in an article entitled: "So You Lost Your Job, What Do You Do Now?
Resumé blasting is where you send your resumé out to all of the head hunters and recruiters who focus on your industry or your job type. There are more than 5,000 recruiting agencies in the list, but you will probably only use less than 300.
My True Story About Resumé Blasting
I first used resumé blasting many years ago in my own career before starting CareerPlanner.com.
At that time I bought a book containing a list of recruiters from a company called Kennedy Information. This was a big red, thick, five pound book that also contained a CD ROM with the postal addresses of over 5,000 recruiting firms. I think I had to pay almost $200 for the book and CD.
In those days most recruiting firms did not use email, so I printed out mailing labels for 300 firms that either specialized in my industry or sounded like they could help me discover new companies and new job opportunities.
After licking 300 postage stamps and envelopes, we dropped this stack of mail at the post office.
So how well did the resumé blast work?
Today, I am still in touch with 4 or 5 of the recruiters who responded to my Resumé Blast. In fact, one has become a very good friend.
Out of 300 resumés I mailed, about 10 recruiting firms showed an interest. One firm in particular got me two job offers with two different companies in the same week.
One of these offers got me into a company where I was able to work on products and technology that were new to me. This later resulted in me getting a Vice President position at one of the leading companies in that field. While there I got to work with some amazing people, especially my boss who later went on to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
So I would say the Resumé Blasting worked very well indeed.
There were two side benefits from the Resumé Blast, besides getting a great job:
As for the offer I did not accept, my connections and knowledge about that company allowed me to refer two of my friends who did end up working there. One was well into his 60's so I'm glad to have helped him out. The other friend had been out of the industry for 3 years, so I was glad to be able to help him.
As for the recruiters I met as a result of my mass mailing, I ended up using them to help me find and hire people at the companies where I worked. So they made yet more money from the relationship.
Later, when I became a CEO of a high tech start up, I relied on the same recruiters to help me staff my company. So it worked out well for everyone.
Mass mailing using a Resume Blast can really help your networking, especially if you are shy and reserved.
When Recruiters Call, You Better Jump
If you send out 300 emails, you should expect to see an interest from maybe 5 recruiters. Yes, that's less than 2%, but that is the norm. Even 1% is considered OK.
So, when those 5 recruiters do call, you better drop what you're doing and focus on building a relationship with them. Treat them like GOLD. The benefits will last a lifetime.
The recruiters that do show an interest in you will probably:
- Know of a job opening where you might be a good fit
- Focus in your industry and your marketplace
- Focus on your job type i.e. Sales Executives, Designers, Engineers
So when they call, make sure to get the recruiters phone number and email address and send them a thank you email as soon as you are done talking. Do this even if it seems they can not help you at the moment.
By the way, just ignore all the responses that say they have no interest or that they will keep your resumé on file.
If you don't make a few good connections with recruiters within 3 months, run the Resume Blast again. The job market is always changing. What you hope to do is hit the recruiter when he is working to fill a position that is in good alignment with your qualifications. The problem is, you just never know when that will happen.
How Does Resumé Blasting Work Today?
Today you don't have to lick 300 stamps and envelopes which can cost over $125.
All you have to do is use the "myResumeAgent" service which we provide via our partnership with Kennedy Information. They are the same folks who published that big red book and CD ROm I used. The cost is typically $67.95.
When you use their service, you sort through their database of recruiters. You sort by industry and job function.
After building your list, you attach your resumé and cover letter and then Blast It.
Who Should Use Resumé Blasting?
Resumé blasting is useful if:
- Your industry / job type uses head hunters and recruiters.
- You don't already know recruiters who will help you find a job.
- You don't already have a large active network of hiring managers.
- You are a bit shy, reserved, introverted and cold calling makes you uncomfortable.
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