Click and Send. That's apparently the extent of the effort required to apply for a job through the mega employment websites. When we used them (in the past), it amazed me how many resumes they generated so quickly. But it was truly quantity over quality. Most were below average, bland, or just bad.
This process makes it virtually effortless for anyone to shoot their resume off to fend for itself, sans cover letter, to companies they know little or nothing about because they hadn't spent the five minutes it would take to do a little background research. When I read stories about people who send out 400 resumes in a month, it makes me wonder how much they could say about any of the companies to which they applied. And if they even care.
That's why it's a breath of fresh air to get something from someone who does the opposite, and does it well. Kimberly Durant, a recent graduate of the design program at RIT did everything right to set herself apart. She sent a custom made package in the form of a mini Chinese takeout box containing her resume, letter and work samples, all rolled into little scrolls tied with ribbons inside the box.
When anyone can blast off an email, old fashioned "snail mail" still stands out. Kimberly took it even a step further and sent it in a carrier box via Fedex. Her cover letter referenced favorite examples of our work as posted on our website. Not hard to find. But few people take the time. By describing this in her letter, she showed a genuine interest in what we do, and related it to her experience and how she could help us.
Not surprisingly, she followed up by phone and email. Kimberly's effort demonstrated initiative, research, skill and craft. That's way more than most people do with a portfolio in an in-person interview. And That's impossible by "click and send."
Copyright 2009, Bremmer & Goris Communications, Inc.
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