Mailing Cover Letter and Resume

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Although it is a little more expensive, it is a good idea to mail your cover letter and resume in an 8 1/2 x 11 envelope to avoid creases since more and more companies are scanning resumes into their computers to allow for key word searches. A crease in a line of text may make it unreadable by the scanner.

There are generally two approaches to conducting a job search by mail. One method is to target select employers where there are known vacancies or referrals by faculty, friends, relatives, etc. Vacancies may be identified through want ads, internet listings, company web sites, or the Job Listingings Book in the Office of Career Services.

It is a good idea to follow up (call) after a week or so to confirm that the company received your resume, if they have any questions, and could you arrange a meeting/interview?

The second approach is by sending out mass mailings. This involves identifying companies you are interested in working for or who do work in the areas in which you may be interested or who hire people with your major.

A mailing list may be created by using employer directories and Recruiters of UAH Graduates notebook (found in the Career Resource Library), the Internet, professional society directories, and the Yellow Pages.

Mass mailings usually have a response rate of less than 4 invitations for interviews for every 100 letters sent. This number could be more or less depending on your field of study and distance from the employer.

Sending out hundreds of resumes at a time make it almost impossible to follow up. To make it more manageable, send out a batch of 30 one week and follow up with them next week while sending out a new batch of 30. You may also want to do geographical mass mailings. Send 30 or so to companies in Nashville and tell them that you plan on being in Nashville on a Monday and Tuesday in two weeks. Call them the following week and see how many appointments you can make for the following Monday and Tuesday.

Finally, be sure to keep a job search notebook and record when, where, to whom, and why (specific position or exploring) you mailed your cover letters and resumes. A fairly easy way to do this is by keeping a copy of your cover letters or a list of your mass mailing groups including the above information. You should also be sure to note when you said you were going to follow up with the geographical mass mailings.