It’s very easy to think that when you’ve sent hundreds of resumes, those resumes just disappear into thin air. However, if you post your resume online or email it in response to a job advertisement, your resume is usually stored in a database. This database could be a job aggregator like Career Builder, or it could be an applicant tracking system for a company or staffing agency. Just because you don’t get a response to your job application doesn’t mean nothing is done with your resume. The fact is, your resume is taken and stored for a long time.
What this means is that you need to be careful who has access to your resume and the information on it. Many people eagerly post their resumes to a job aggregator only to be contacted for jobs they don’t want, like franchise opportunities or life insurance sales or other jobs that require you to deposit thousands of dollars to get started. One thing smart job seekers do is create a separate email from personal ones for this sole purpose, that way your personal email won’t be bombarded with annoying spam. If the company is interested in you, they will send you an email. However, be sure to regularly check both your email inbox and spam for messages from potential employers.
Putting your resume on LinkedIn is also another way for your resume to ‘live’. Since LinkedIn can be used as an online version of your resume, it will continue to work even when you are not on an active job search (as long as you keep up with your profile and don’t ignore it). So, remember to always keep your LinkedIn resume up-to-date with all current information, skills, and jobs.
It’s important to remember that once your resume is “out there” in cyberspace, whether it’s on a job board or on LinkedIn, it will stay there until you delete it. Make sure you are very aware of this when posting your resume. You want to make sure that you are only using websites that are highly reputable and that they will not “sell” or “loan” your personal information to third parties. Be strategic about where you put your resume and you will get better results.