A reader writes:
What type of cover letter should you write to go with your resume when you are going to drop off your resume at several different companies? I have several years experience in the loan processing field and want to go to companies in this field and ask if it is ok to leave my resume with them. I am not sure if this is a good way to get a job as I have never had to do this before, but I am hoping it will help me in my pursuit of finding a job.
Well, to answer your question before I rant about what I want to rant about, use the exact same sort of cover letter that you’d use if you were applying any other way.
Now that that’s out of the way: I really don’t recommend this tactic at all. Most companies include specific instructions about how they want you to apply, and it’s pretty unlikely that “in person” is included. Plus, many companies only accept resumes electronically because they get put into an electronic screening system. Third, this is unnecessarily gimmicky; save yourself the time, apply online, and if you’re a strong candidate, they’ll contact you.
Yes, yes, everyone has heard a story about someone who went by to drop off their resume in person and got interviewed and hired on the spot. It’s still, in general, not a good use of your time. (Everyone has also heard the story about the guy who sent a shoe in with his application, asking to “get a foot in the door.” That guy is a cheeseball. Don’t be him. Don’t be any of these urban legends.)
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
I'm somewhat surprised to hear from the manager that this method of job searching is absolutely not acceptable. With due respect that different employers have some guidelines and preferences when it comes to hiring/selection process, this still could potentialls save them some money spent on advertising and going through piles of resumes….There's an Employment Support Program called "Job Club" that teaches based on stats and research of employers that cold calling and visiting employers in person has worked for may job applicants in the past. Do you suggest that the times has changed so much that visiting employer in person and being prepared to market yourself is something of old days?
I really would like to know your thoughts on that.
You asked for numbers, here's some
http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/careerservices/nonacademic/jobsearch/calls.htm
Sorry, the link didn't seem to worked. One more time.
http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/careerservices/nonacademic/jobsearch/calls.htm/
in general i don't meet with walk-in applicants. the main reason for this is because the average job seeker isn't nearly as qualified/a good fit for whatever position they are interested in. it just wouldn't be a good use of my time. i'm busy, can't waste time.
Anonymous, I'm sure there are some industries where it's different, but yes, I definitely do consider it it something from the old days that isn't welcomed/effective anymore. Again, I'm sure it's not true in all industries, but that's my experience.
imho it's okay to drop off your resume in person if: 1. There is a help wanted sign posted on the window and 2. Publicly advertised cattle call/Job Fair or 3. Someone in a position of authority asks you to do it.
Other than that, I agree with AAM. I expect applicants will follow directions and not try to usurp my hiring process. There's a method to the madness, if I wrote an ad that read submit your resume via email – submit it via email. Site via site. Fax via fax. Bring it with you, do it.
Why I don't want people just wandering in, making demands on my and my staffs time… look, we don't have extra time. We barely have enough time to get the work done as it is without someone showing up with a 'I'm here!' resume.
Frankly, it isn't fair to the job seeker either. Say they take the time to drop their resume off in person unannounced. We'd take it, but they're isn't anyone to meet them, greet them, talk to them about the opportunity. How is this a good use of their time? And how is this a good representation of either company or candidate? I liken this scenario to showing up unannounced at my MIL, you get what you get when you don't call in advance…. and that can be downright scary.
I think it's important to note that this is not true in many industries, especially those with high turnover or general labor. I am a shift manager in a restaurant and when I was putting in applications I found this to be by far THE most effective way to get a job. Just a thought for those of us not in the professional world.
I actually HAVE dropped off my resume in person, was interviewed right then and did get the job. Back in the days when we looked in the newspaper for jobs — I saw the ad for the job on Sunday, but Monday was a holiday and I knew that my resume wouldn't arrive at the office until Wednesday. Since I was pretty sure this office would not be closed on the holiday, I took a chance and dropped off my resume in person on Monday, interviewed on Monday and by Friday I was hired. Loved that job! Was sorry when my family had to relocate and I had to leave the position. These days, most of the ads I answer I find on the internet and the ads are constructed such that it's difficult to determine who the potential employer is.
Dropping off your resume in person only works in retail and entry level positions.
I HATE when people drop off their resumes in person at my office. I never meet with them. The quality of the candidates is almost always lower when they come in person.
I'm not sure if this applies to US situation, but in several countries that provide basic unemployment benefits, a person on such benefits may be required to take "job seeking courses" or apply for X jobs per week to keep their benefit. They will be, not encouraged, but outright told, to hand out unsolicited CVs to unsuspecting companies and making time consuming follow up calls. If they don't, they lose their benefits.
Then the governing body will sometimes take up more of the hiring manager's time by sample-calling companies on the list of "jobs sought" – that the unemployed has been forced to provide – to check if they have handed in CVs where they said they did. In some countries this has led to people without high school diplomas applying for jobs as consultant surgeons and lecturers in math etc (after exhausting all the work places where they meet the requirements) in order to qualify for the benefit.
Needless to say, the governing bodies don't care a jot about the embarrassed job seeker, nor the stressed out hiring manager who will have to go through piles of unsuitable CVs. As long as they don't look like their soft on the unemployed nothing else matters.
//Jessica
…they're… *tired*
//Jessica
Why all the animosity against drop-offs (especially from some of the commenters here)?
I understand that no one should expect to "just show up" and get an interview; and yes, I would exclude someone who did expect that. I also understand that many organizations today want applications only via their online database.
But, would recruiters really be justified in excluding someone who took the time to research their organization, then took the time to scout out their location to drop off a resume to let someone know that they were interested in working at their organization?
When they dropped it off, if the receptionist or whomever stated that it would be best to apply online and the candidate agreed to do so would you still exclude them?
The reason I ask, is that after a few months of reading several of these HR/Recruiting/Management blogs I get the feeling that there are many in the position of hiring that seem to use what I would consider to be "irrational" reasons for excluding folks who might otherwise be good candidates.
I've only worked in low end jobs posted to Craigs list (not counting military service) And this is the way I generally stand out and get ahead of the pack as my low experience makes it that much harder to even get talked to.
That said I would stop when applying for mid or upper level jobs as those jobs are far more likly to want people who can be ran through a database.
Really this only works for ground level jobs and jobs in places with high turnover.
Hey,
Good thoughts, but like Charles suggested, I am surprised that everyone is anti-dropping off a resume. They obviously have not had to get a job in today's job climate with little help from contacts (or at least it's unlikely).
I'm in a new Canadian city trying to get a job, and it's BRUTAL. I have a degree, a diploma, and work experience in 3 different fields, and I'm having trouble getting jobs in those fields even! I can't even get interviews!
The problem is that employers are getting millions of resumes, and inevitably they are going to take someone with more job experience in the area than me. I have a substantial education that I've spent years on – and I'm passionate about – but that counts for 6 years of wasted time in the real world right now. It's a joke to try to find a job within my area of interest. I have exceptional writing skills and a typing speed of 80wpm, among other skills, but that appears to mean nothing to most employers.
"Would recruiters really be justified in excluding someone who took the time to research their organization, then took the time to scout out their location to drop off a resume to let someone know that they were interested in working at their organization?…I get the feeling that there are many in the position of hiring that seem to use what I would consider to be "irrational" reasons for excluding folks who might otherwise be good candidates." – You are exactly right Charles. Recruiters appear to be using a method that is not the best. being presentable and eager to work for a company is sometimes more valuable than not fitting every qualification 110%. I realize that recruiters don't have much time, but they should at least be open to resumes submitted in person and give them a quick overlook. If someone showed up who was eager and presentable and displayed company knowledge and had a killer resume (even if not fitting 110% of qualifications), this individual should be at least given a chance (interview).
I suppose I don't know what it is like in HR. However I know what it's like as a job seeker, and it f'n sucks. The economy, of course, is shit right now, but all the same, I have no idea how I'm supposed to get a job when I put out 100 resumes online the "proper" way, and get at best 3-5 interviews. It's that bad.
Also, I have to say that the author of this post needs to qualify his general statement about "not bothering to apply in person for ANY job because it's a waste of time." There are jobs, as commenters have indicated, that favor this process (secretarial, high turnover positions, retail, entry-level, etc.) You have to be sneaky about it though, you have to find a way to slowly move up in the company with only using 1 minute of peoples' time. Eventually you'll get someone who gets interested and might give you a chance. It's tough though, and I would say it wasn't worth the effort, if I didn't apply for 100 resumes in the last two weeks and get 5 replies.
Ultimately I'm disheartened that I've spent years SPENDING money to get a good education, and I'm getting no value out of it; at least right now. The system is definitely full of holes.
Thoughts?
[also continued]
Also, I should say that I respect the blogger's opinion and I recognize his position. I understand company employees are all really busy and there is no time to converse with random unqualified individuals. However I think that in the customer service field it should be reasonable to take a second to acknowledge a potential qualified employee.
Okay so Cold Calls are outdated, I get it. There are so many companies that may have jobs coming available soon is it okay to go inside and ask if they have a website specified for their employee search?
K-
Anonymous, why not just do a google search for their website on your own? You're going to look sort of un-resourceful if you show up in person to ask.
The ideas presented by the original poster seem one sided towards a management prospective. Of course managers, don't want people coming into their office but how does one stand out with little or no work experience? Granted actually showing up isn't the only way to do this but it is certainly one way. Maybe it wouldn't help but I have a hard time believing that it could possibly hurt. The advice might be fine for someone with several years of experience who would really stand out but for someone fresh out of college with little experience I think it could be smart to try everything possible. When considering whether or not to follow a strategy the primary concern shouldn't be how much it could annoy a manager.
Sam, they're slanted toward a management perspective, because that is who is doing the hiring. You need to see things like the hiring manager would.
@Ask a manager,
It seemed to me the essence of the post was that people shouldn't drop off resumes in person because doing so could possibly annoy a manager. This is a legitimate point but the question shouldn't be does doing X make a managers job easier or harder? The question should be does doing X give an applicant an advantage?
The post would have been better had the manager considered from an applicants prospective how other ways of standing out could be more acceptable/effective. The post condemn's dropping off a resume but then doesn't give practical advice about what an alternative could be other than posting a resume on a website.
The problem is many people's resume isn't enough to make them stand out by itself and the idea someone with an unimpressive resume should just give up trying to stand out in any way strikes me as anti-pragmatic.
In short if you're probably not going to be hired based on a resume alone I think doing something is better than nothing and the poster seems to be suggesting the latter.
Sam, the problem is that it often makes you LESS likely to be considered, because it shows you don't follow directions or understand how to value a hiring manager's time.
The way you stand is out by being a great candidate, the specifics of which we talk about in many other posts. Not by using a tactic that has nothing to do with your qualifications for the job.
@Ask a Manager
Well that is definitely one perspective. However, I still don't see how it could really hurt an applicant who wouldn't stand out in the normal hiring process and is already doing everything reasonablly possible to drop off an application in person assuming doing so is not inconvient for the applicant.
In my job seeking a lot of ads say to email or bring in person. For my field, financial work, my emailed resumes are obviously not getting into the A pile, not passing the initial screening or whatever. So with the invitation to drop off in person, I'm at least getting a feel for the company culture and can ask the receptionist what it's like to work there and get a conversation started. Then they take my application into the back where I assume some comments to someone higher up can follow. That's my logic and so far neither way has worked but it seems like dropping off in person is okay, especially when managers are annoyed with getting hundreds of emailed resumes they're not even going to bother printing and holding in their hand.
I've also done hiring in retail and computer technology and of course an emailed resume isn't even going to get looked at when you've already met some nice people who bothered to drop by in person.
While I absolutely agree that dropping off your resume “in person” is not the best solution, that is how I landed my first entry job. It was a huge surprise! While dropping off my resume I ended up speaking to the manager of the department I was applying to, he called me the next day to schedule an interview, sent my resume to HR, I went through the entire hiring process and got the job! I was thrilled because I had been looking for exactly this job for months but to no avail!
While emailing resume and applying online seems to be the only option left, making the effort and actually getting yourself to the location can sometimes pay off. This of course depends on the industry
Dear AAM, I normally am a big fan of your advice, but I have to say that I am the guy from the urban legend who couldn’t get a job until he showed up in person. Maybe the academic world is different from the corporate world, but here is my story.
After earning my MA in English literature at a well-known university in Ireland, I returned to my home in the States and began trying to contact the English department chairs for many local colleges to see about teaching entry-level writing and/or literature classes. I sent e-mail after e-mail with a well-written cover letter and resume attached. I only received a few replies and they were all brief rejections. My mother kept pressing me to show up in person, but I insisted that it was really rude to do that and a waste of time for someone who is both a full-time administrator and classroom instructor. But after six months, I was desperate, so I showed up outside the office of one of the English chairs I had e-mailed.
After I introduced myself briefly, she seemed happy to meet me. She said that she had her spam folder set so that she only receives e-mails from the campus domain name (which I still think is really strange) so she didn’t get my cover letter or resume. She said that I was fully qualified to teach Eng. 101, but that all of the adjunct positions had been filled. She said she’d give me a call if something opened up, as adjuncts frequently abandon her at the last second for better job offers. About two months later she had another professor call me and offer me the job, and now I’m getting ready to teach my first class this coming fall semester. If I had just followed my mother’s advice from the start, there is a good chance that I could have started at the beginning of last Fall semester and be teaching more classes by now. Not to mention that I would already have my course plans fully outlined, so I could have spent this summer dedicated to my PhD applications.
I’m sorry, but I’m not an urban legend. I have a real pulse, resume, and now, a job.
I’m glad you got a job, but the fact that this worked for you doesn’t make it good advice in general! You can always find some crazy tactic that worked a handful of times — but if it fails 99.9% of the time, even though it worked that .1%, then it’s not a good tactic to recommend!
Well, I think it is important to note that different industries and disciplines have different cultures. It’s true that academic department chairs are administrators/managers with all of the same duties and responsibilities as their counterparts in the corporate world, but these are not people who got into their fields because they wanted to be managers when they grew up. So I’ve noticed their way of doing things is a little less organized/efficient than I have seen in other industries. Actually, when I stop and think about it, colleges and universities operate differently on many levels than the corporate world.
I’d sincerely like to know how dropping off your resume in person is a hindrance if you adhered to the application procedures? I’ve talked to a lot of HR people, and they have all said that coming in sets you apart from the rest that they move from one stack to the next– along with following up.
I see this as terrible advice in addition to being called “a gimmick.” How is showing up to a potential job after you’ve applied properly and looking professional a gimmick? I definitely see how this is from the manager’s slant only because there are many gimmicks to discourage qualified applicants from pursuing a job.
Well, first of all, “adhering to the application” procedures usually means applying online. It’s been a very long while since I’ve seen application instructions that say to apply in person.
Dropping off your resume will get you removed from the running at many companies. I don’t know who these HR people are that you’ve talked to, but I’d suggest reading the comments in this thread, and you’ll hear from lots of people explaining why dropping off in person is a bad idea … unless you’re in retail or food service, where the rules are different. Also, these days most companies track applications electronically, so many don’t want to accept hard copies at all.
Honestly, what do you do then? There doesn’t seem to be anything else out there to set yourself apart, then. As someone who is attempting to change fields with basically no experience, if dropping off a resume in person doesn’t actually HELP– my only option is to be unemployed.
As I say a lot on this site, the way you stand out is by being an incredibly qualified candidate, writing a great cover letter, and being friendly, responsive, thoughtful, and enthusiastic. If you’re trying to stand out via anything not related to the actual quality of your candidacy (like in-person drop-off’s), you’re losing focus on what really does make a candidate stand out.
If you’re trying to change fields without experience, the reality is that this is very hard time to do that; it may well be impossible in this market. Here’s a good article that talks about that:
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/08/16/are-your-skills-really-transferable
Hi AAM!
I did a Google search for “dropping off resumes” and came upon this article. I must admit, at first, I was a little perplexed by the perception that dropping off your resume in person can be a disadvantage. After all, like you mentioned, I have heard many a story about people taking a leap of faith and reaping the rewards threefold.
After reading the article you recommended, “Are Your Skills Really Transferable?,” I have gained more clarity as it is something that I am experiencing now in my professional journey. I don’t have the exact qualifications and it’s my job to get those qualifications so I can market myself effectively. Good news is…I’m almost there!
As someone looking to penetrate a new industry and also, as a professional who helps others in their job search, the frustration is very understandable. There’s a lot of people out there with the sheer will, fire and capability to dominate a new industry…eventually. We just all have to understand that it might take a little longer to get there and that’s quite alright. Patience is a virtue. :)
Applying online is ridiculous. It is just another way for an employer to not dell with a well qualified person actually being proactive and searching out employment. All of you managers and those of you in HR are lazy worker who don’t want to actually take the time to do your job and find out about a potential employee who is more than likely walking in because they have heard the same lie before. Apply online and we will call you. The truth? You all are too lazy to make calls when house of us apply on line, fax, or any other way that doesn’t put us in front of you. So, with THAT being said, if you want us to stay out of your hair so you can paint your nails at your desk in peace, talk on the phone to whom ever you want to we time at work with discussing the hideous growth on your husbands or wife’s face, or gossip about other co workers to your friends on Facebook, then do your job and actually follow up on those resumes like you are supposed to. Otherwise, be prepared to have us come in with our resumes ready to take the position you want to keep one so it looks like you’re hiring when you’re not. Number one rule in business right now. Make the most amount of net profit, with the least amount of skilled labor, even if it comes down to outsourcing the whole division to Cambodia with 12 year old kids doing the work for 2 cents a day.
Hmm… this is one of this few occasions where I am going to disagree with you.
I absolutely adore your blog, think you are reasonable and sensible and find all your advice valuable, but regarding this particular post… I would not say it isn’t a good idea!
Obviously I wouldn’t present myself at Google or Facebook offices or, even worse, at PwC or KPMG offices, but after working as a Flight Attendant for several years I decided I wanted an office job with a “normal” schedule and I started looking for secretarial jobs.
In my hometown there weren’t much and the only one I saw that fit my timetable was asking for a candidate with 3 years’ experience… and I had none!!
In addition to this, already 100 applicants had sent their resumes through the job site (the offer had 2 or 3 days) so I had little hopes.
As I had nothing to lose at all, I decided to go in person. It was an English School (language school, as this was all in Spain) and one of the owners was there when I entered (I didn’t know she was the owner). She didn’t interview me there but we had a 10 or 15 minute chat and I left.
A year later I got a phone called to schedule an interview with the co-owner.
If I hadn’t gone there, showed my interest (applying online means pressing a button, while actually going there requires more time and effort) and that I was smart, polite and proffesional, they would have never hired me!!
You can always find an exception to every rule. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good strategy!