If you want to turn off a prospective employer, send them a resume in an envelope marked “Personal.” I received two such resumes in the past month. There was nothing “personal” in the cover letter or resume. In both instances, the resumes would have received more immediate attention if sent to the right person in the agency. Instead, the letters sat in my seldom-checked snail mailbox for nearly two weeks from the postmark dates.
Also, don’t use “Personal” in the subject line of email. This suggests content that made it through spam filters. Actually, it’s rare to receive a printed resume in the mail. The best way to get a resume in the right hands at an agency or corporation is via email.
If you’re currently employed and concerned about the confidentiality of your job search, don’t send your resume to anyone who isn’t aware of your situation. Otherwise, blindly sending resumes with a “Personal” or “Confidential” notation isn’t sufficient protection from potential disclosure. Fortunately, 99.9% of resumes come via email and without any viewing restrictions.
No, I’m not providing the names of the individuals who instigated this post.
Well said. The world of work has changed, as has the way we communicate.
Public relations is just that; public rather than personal or confidential. It is about relations, rather than resumes.
When I look for a public relations professional to work with me, I look for the person who demonstrates her or his ability to develop a relationship with me from cold call on. If they can make be feel comfortable with them, look forward to their next call or email, and feel that the time I spend with them is more valuable than time I could spend doing other things, I hire them, promote them, and support them.
When I want a good resume writer, I’ll hire an editor.