Monday, September 16, 2013

Submitting a Résumé

With all the hiring we've been doing at Central Peninsula Church I thought it necessary to blog about how to write a resume; hoping to help some people with the help I was given years ago from a good friend.  Transition in jobs happens all the time; I'm not advocating for keeping a fresh copy of your resume, but knowing how to write one when the time comes for transition.

Now that you're resume is all fresh and ready to submit it to your future employer (think positive) here are a few tips for submitting your résumé:

Re-read the steps for submitting your résumé
In the process I've been in, looking for people, I've often wondered if people even read the steps to apply for the role.  I understand, you're excited and you want to apply for it as quick as you can but slow down.  Read the job description, take some time to pray, talk with your spouse and a confidential mentor about the role.  Re-read the job description and ask yourself some key questions:
* Do I think this role is what I'm really looking for or am I just applying to apply?
* Do I want to live in the area?
* Do I respect the leadership?
* Do they have all you can eat sushi near by?

Once you asked the important questions make sure to follow what the employer is asking for in applying for the position.  If they want your resume and a digital picture; send that and nothing else.  If they want you to call before applying do that.  No matter the role, make sure to follow the directions.  The directions are there because they want to see if you can follow directions if you don't have the job!

Send it as a PDF
When I wrote my last resume (18 months ago) I had a pretty cool layout.  I did some fancy stuff in Photoshop to catch people's attention.  I knew if I submitted resume in a Word document I might loose some of the formatting I had worked so hard to accomplish.  You could have a great font but your future employer may not have this font.  You might have your resume down to two pages but when you send it, somehow the formatting changes and it bleeds into three pages when they specifically asked for two.  The solution: send your resume as a PDF.  You can easily do this in Word or Pages, it only takes an extra 22 seconds and you won't regret the decision of having all your hard work look just the way you intended it to.

Follow up in a week
Its ok to follow-up in a week.  In fact, when you send your resume over let the church know you plan on following up in a week to just make sure they received your resume.  Some churches may have an auto-respond letting you know it was received but I would still follow up.  Following up shows two things:
1) You're really interested in the job (and you think God may be calling you there)
2) You're a person of your word (you do what you say you're going to do)

Now that you've submitted your resume what would you add to this list?

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