This is a follow up to a previous question on your forum.
It's October, and I'm a senior who will graduate in May. I've got a
specific industry I'd like to work in (consumer electronics electrical
engineering). There are many companies hiring for interesting
positions in this field. I've looked around on various companies' web
site job listings, and on job listing web sites.
Many companies have positions they are currently trying to fill that
match my education and experience history, but I would not be available
for these positions for nearly seven months.
The question is: When responding to these online postings, should I
submit my resume as a specific application for these specific
positions, or should I simply submit a resume to the company as a
general application for whatever might be available next May?
And if I submit a general application, would it be any more effective
to mail them a copy rather than email?
Thank you.
From: Justin Kennington
ANSWER FROM BRIAN KRUEGER:
Hi Justin -
The answer is not necessarily an either/or. The answer is to respond to both types of opportunities.
If you have a specific position to respond to, go ahead and respond to the position.
But when you follow up with the company and determine that they are seeking to fill the position right now,
ask to be considered for other positions in May.
Your resume should reflect your May graduation/availability, so don't worry about being considered for something
that you can't actually start on right away--worse things could happen.
Even if they do call you for something that is open now, it give you a direct connection (and contact)
to respond back to directly for later openings.
I recommend e-mailing first (since that will get your resume into their system, which may include an
applicant tracking system) with the least degredation of the data (i.e. digital-to-digital, rather than the
analog-to-digital that takes place when your resume is scanned and OCRed into the system).
But then it's critical to always follow up by phone one week later.
Then continue to follow up by phone until the opportunity is either filled/closed or filled by you.
Do you have a question that you would like to have answered here in this forum? Send your question direct to Brian Krueger.
All job search information at this forum is provided by Brian Krueger, author of the book College Grad Job Hunter, the definitive guide for college grad job search. Used by permission of the author.
