How to Ask Someone to Consider Your Resume

via GIPHY

Once you know who the hiring manager is, be very specific in your request to “put a good word in.” For acquaintances, start your request with something like, “Dear [name], I hope you are doing well. I am planning on applying to [XYZ job position], and I’m reaching out to see if you would be open to introducing me to the hiring manager.” Then, without going overboard, include a bit of your background and communicate your enthusiasm for the role — in other words, don’t just ask and expect the person to help you just because (remember: they may receive many emails like this per day!). Always offer to send your resume, a short bio, your professional portfolio, and any other materials so that your connection can have a stronger grasp on your skills — and feel more confident introducing you to someone on their team.

Work

Does that mean you shouldn’t ask for input? Absolutely not. Getting people you know and trust to review your masterpiece will help take some bias out of your edits and may evoke ideas you hadn’t even considered. And, of course, there’s the issue of getting your resume through the scanning software (also known as an applicant tracking system). This is a skill in itself. You'll want to get feedback from someone who knows how they work, and can help you set up your resume in a way that plays nice with the ATS, so that you get a shot with the human decision makers.

On the flip side -- and this is something a lot of people probably never consider -- hiring managers and executives often don't really know much about how the resume scanning software works. These players when they finally do see the resumes coming through, only see them after they pass through said software, which means you’re not likely to get helpful advice from them on how to get through the system in the first place. In fact, they may even encourage you to make edits that will make your resume less applicant tracking system-friendly. And that won't be a good thing. (Source:www.workforgood.org))