Resume and Cover Letter Distribution Options

Broadcast resume and cover letter distribution does not rank #1 on the list of "best ways to get employer attention and interviews," but it can be a useful tool in some job search campaigns. Many sites and companies offer services in this area. They include the following (descriptions are excerpted from their sites):

• Pro/File Research: This service blends knowledge of computerized databases with mail merge printing technology to create high-impact, targeted direct mail campaigns. Targeted mailings are personalized letters sent to a select group of individuals based upon your individual needs. Most targeted direct mail campaigns are produced on paper and sent via U.S. mail. However the service also offers email campaigns targeted specifically to executive recruiters.
• Resume Machine: Features of this service include over 25,000 hiring agents; the largest database of recruiters on the Web; review of contacts before sending documents; targeting your search down to the area code; saving money by using the "Self-Managed" option; contact data provided with every delux order (via Your Missing Link); email, fax, and postal options.
• Resume Spider: Over 10,000 recruiters and over 600,000 employers and corporate hiring managers use ResumeSpider to find candidates. By creating your profile on the site, you are basically putting your resume on the web. Also, ResumeSpider will send your resume directly to all its member recruiters, employers, and corporate hiring managers that match your profile.
• My Resume Agent: MyResumeAgent is a one-time, instant resume distribution service. They offer an option to redistribute your resume 21 days after your initial distribution, which not only saves you time and money but also increases your visibility with recruiters.
• Jobs By Fax: You need enough employers receiving your resume so the service's typical 1%+ response rate will yield phone calls. They highly recommend faxing it to 5,000 or more employers, so you would get 50+ phone calls. If you are in a smaller city that only has a few hundred employers, you can still use the service, but the 1%+ response rate would generate just a few calls at most.