Q. I’ve been sending resumes by email to everyone I can think of in agencies and corporations. I’m not getting a lot of responses. Should I try showing up in person in order to get a foot in the door? -LA
A. Stick with email and snail mail. Dropping in on a firm and expecting to talk with someone is not recommended. The people you would want to see are busy and might be offended by the presumptive nature of such a move. However, if you have a lot of time on your hands, you might try physically dropping off your resumes with receptionists as a way of becoming familiar with the different business environments. Unfortunately, this has become harder to do in buildings that have strict security requirements. In these cases, your hand-delivery might end at security.
Ideally, you might know someone who works for one or more of your target firms. If so, ask them to personally get your resume to possible hiring managers. This “introduction” carries a lot of weight with prospective employers. Plus, some companies give cash awards to employees who recommend individuals who eventually get hired.
What do you think of a follow-up phone call to a resume submission? If so, how long after you send one in, do you call?
Ideally, I wish firms would routinely notify applicants when resumes are received. But since not many organizations provide that courtesy, it is appropriate for you to place a brief call to the Human Resources department five business days after sending the resume. That generally is sufficient time for them to open and review your resume.