When I am responding to a job posting and a contact name is not given, is it OK to
address the letter "To Whom It May Concern"? Or is there a better way to handle
this?
Answer:
"To Whom it May Concern" is a bit outdated, as is "Dear Sir/Madam." You might want
to go with "Dear Hiring Manager" when you don't know the name of the person you
should address.
Is it preferable to send resume by email or by postal mail when applying for a job?
Answer:
There is no "right" answer to your question because different employers have different
preferences and requirements. The best thing you can do is to follow the instructions each
employer provides and send your resume in the format they request.
If and when you do send your resume via email, it's smart to send it both as an attachment
(using Microsoft Word) AND as text-only right in the body of your email. Why? Because
some companies won't open attachments for fear of picking up computer viruses. Some hiring managers are so swamped with responses they're trying to scan resumes as quickly as they can. It can't
hurt to send your resume in both formats, so it's a good idea to proceed that way.
Is it good to send additional materials, such as copies of degrees and certificates, with a
resume when applying for a job, or is just the resume enough?
Answer:
It's best to simply send companies what they ask for. Most companies ask for only a
cover letter and resume, at least in the beginning stages of the application process.
However, if/when companies ask for "additional documents," feel free to send along
something that might make you stand out from the crowd. If you have published writing
clips, samples of visual/design work, sample promotions or marketing materials you
created – you can include all of these. But generally, take your cue from the company's
request.
Should I list my education at the top or bottom of my resume? I've seen both formats.
Answer:
Generally speaking, if you're a recent college graduate, it's best to list your education at
or near the top of your resume. If you've been in the workforce for a while, it makes more
sense to list your experience first and put your education closer to the bottom of your
resume.
If you're a new or recent graduate and you happen to have a lot of experience already in
your field, then you might consider listing that experience first, and then your education
information. It's a judgment call; there aren't any set rules where that's concerned.
Why do some resumes include hobbies? It seems to me that a business doesn't care what
your hobby is as long as you do your work. Should I include this information on my
resume?
Answer:
As a general rule, you shouldn't include hobbies and/or interests on your resume.
However, it can come in handy for certain positions. For example, suppose you're
applying for a position with an advertising agency that has several clients in the sports
industry. You go through the process and it all comes down to you and one other
candidate. You're both equal in practically every way… but you play in a recreational
basketball league and the other candidate doesn't. Who's more likely to get hired? You
guessed it.
While it usually isn't necessary to include hobbies and interests, you may want to keep a
different version of your resume handy for such these types of positions.
I've been applying for jobs that require a salary history. I haven't had any experience in
my field and a salary history would only include odd jobs that I worked during school.
Should I include the "odd job" salary history, or should I just mention that I haven't had
work experience in a related job.
Answer:
Go ahead and develop a salary history using the salary information from your previous
jobs. That way, you'll be following the directions given to you to provide a salary history.
Also, you almost certainly won't outprice yourself (should you get a job offer) since
employers will likely assume that you'd want more money in a professional job than you
received for your college/part-time jobs.
What happens when one of your work experiences can't be verified? A company I
worked for several summers ago has apparently gone under or relocated. The experience
is listed on my resume because it involved a successful product launch. However, the
company was located in another state, making it more difficult to figure out what's going
on. What should I do? I don't want to omit it because my work experience is already
limited. Would this keep me from getting a job, even though two more recent jobs on my
resume are verifiable?
Answer:
By all means, do NOT eliminate this job from your resume. You may not be able to
officially verify it if an employer should ask, but it still sounds like it was a valuable
experience -- one that gave you skills that future employers will be interested in.
That said, find out for sure what has happened to the company you worked for. If you
need help, ask a reference librarian at your campus or local public library for assistance in
tracking the company down.
As it is right now, you say "I believe...." You need to know what has happened to this
company -- if anything -- so that if a future prospective employer should ask about it,
you'll have an informed response all ready to go.
Would you include all the colleges you attended or only the colleges you got the degree
from?
Answer:
There is no right answer to your question, but generally speaking you only need to list the
institution(s) from where you got your degree(s).
In most cases, that's only one college/university. However, if you first earned an associate
degree from a community or technical college, and then you earned your bachelor's
degree from a different, four-year institution, then it's probably best to list both
institutions on your resume.
Be sure you highlight your highest degree (and its associated institution) first, followed
by your "lower" degree (and its associated institution).
I'm graduating in May. When is it appropriate to start sending resumes to potential
employers?
Answer:
Start your job search now. You can never really begin your search too early, especially
when the job market and economy are as difficult as they are right now.
That being said, think carefully about how you do your searching. Since you're not
graduating until May, for example, you may find it difficult to grab the attention of
employers who are looking to fill jobs immediately. But you can still start your job search
in a "behind the scenes" sort of way – networking, contacting the hiring manager, etc.
These questions were compiled from message boards at MonsterTrak.com.
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