Send Your Resume Like A Marketing Boss Without Getting A Side Eye & No Response

Listen. This isn’t an HR thing. In fact, this is just a Marketing ‘thang’ ( a vibrant thang). Marketing is all about the way we present a message about ourselves, product, and/or services. As important, marketing is also about how end users perceive our message and are moved to respond. The fundamentals of marketing has plenty to do with how you send your resume via email.

Believe it or not, day to day email is a form of marketing. Every typo or error, salutation, signature, email structure, attachment (or lack thereof) etc. says something about the sender.

If you’re sending an email, with your resume (marketing yourself) and sharing your skills and career journey (your services), your end goal is to have the HR, recruiter, or hiring manager ( the client) not only notice you but hire you (buy into your services ).

Here are 3 ways to email your resume like a marketing boss and increased the likelihood of getting hired:

Email:

1. Have a professional email address

Your email address is vital, because it’s part of the packaging, and the most preferred way to contact someone about a career opportunity or job. Make sure you’ve created one that represents your professionally and as accurately as possible.  Create an address that you’d be proud to look back on 3 years from now, 15 years from now, or more.

Try your best to acquire your personal web and email address. For example, if your name is Sallie Mae, and you have SallieMae.com, have an email address labeled as contact@SallieMae.com. At very least, select a widely known and free e-mail service provider. I prefer Gmail because of how well it integrates with calendars across devices, its spam filtering, and it’s filing system. If your address is taken, it is perfectly fine to use M.Sallie@gmail.com or a variation of sorts. Just avoid using something like sexychocolateicetea69@gmail.com or an email address with too many numbers like SallieMae123@gmail.com. 

2. Include a professional,well-thought-out email subject line

Your email subject is the call-to-action. It should prompt someone to desire to click and inquire further about you as a potential candidate. Creating subjects such as “Resume” or “Job Inquiry” is not enough and too generic. It also doesn’t show your level of interest and research into the company either (side eye).

Most importantly, if you found a job posting on the web somewhere, read it’s instructions carefully. Sometimes, recruiters specify what to include in the subject line. Nothing better than a client (recruiter), who know’s what they want. Because you’re marketing you and your skills, it’s essential to listen to your client (recruiter) and incorporate their needs into your plan and communications.

 

 3. Write a succinct, memorable email that captures the attention of your end user

Scenerio:

A few days ago, I received an email with a resume attachment, no subject, and (even worse) no message in the body of the email. Mainly because the person was a potential candidate and really wanted experience in retail and communications.

A few days ago, I received an email with a resume attachment, no subject, and (even worse) no message in the body of the email. Mainly because the person was a powerful candidate and really wanted experience in retail and communications.

I was saddened, mainly because the recipient was a powerful candidate and persistent in reaching out. Although I was aware of the person’s abilities and needs for an opportunity (we’ve communicated via social a few times), it was still quite important, for the candidate to provide an introductory message about their interests and reasons for reaching out.

 4. Make it easy for the recruiter to say yes or forward you to a greater opportunity

If you’re sending out resumes, always consider that the person receiving it might not have the time to click or open a resume, more importantly, may want to forward your resume along to others opportunities you may be suited for.

Also to consider. How would you feel if someone random or you’re slightly familiar with just came up to you and said,” look in my bag and see all this awesome stuff I have to give you?” Even if the items in the bag were of use to you, the mere fact that they didn’t introduce themselves properly and brace you for it, would cause anyone to be on the defensive.

The lessons we were taught as youngsters to properly socialize with other’s face-to-face, should also apply in the digital space. Etiquette doesn’t change, it’s only the platform that changes (in-person to web).  Extend the same courtesies you would to people online as you would offline, especially in the job-search scenerio.

Comment below with your thoughts and add-ons.