Tips for Asking Friends for Sample Resumes

Capturing the attention of a modern recruiter requires job applicants to develop an efficient job hunting strategy. One key component of any job hunter's approach revolves around the creation of a dynamic resume. Many applicants utilize sample resumes for inspiration in crafting their own unique profiles for hiring managers. In order to obtain these resume examples, applicants need to learn how to ask networking contacts and acquaintances for a helping hand.

Reviewing sample resumes provide an ideal opportunity for applicants who struggle in obtaining interview invitations. For example, a riveting resume often contains a particularly interesting opener and effective active verbs that expertly communicate an applicant's previous experience. Resume examples that demonstrate such attributes offer job seekers an ideal window for capitalizing on the previous successes of other players within the industry.

Approaching a networking contact for sample resumes may feel daunting, but every modern worker has experienced the job hunt at one point. Rather than sending out a mass message to a large group of contacts, applicants should focus on targeting specific individuals with whom they share an existing relationship. As resumes often contain highly personal information, certain contacts may feel reluctant to share these documents with others. To minimize any awkwardness, job applicants should summarize their working situation while asking the contact to share any sample documents they feel comfortable passing along.

Rather than sending an impersonal email, job seekers should consider instead asking business contacts to join them for a lunch or happy hour event. These social opportunities allow job seekers to expand upon their professional circumstances while asking for help without crossing inappropriate boundaries. In many cases, directly asking to take a look at a contact's resume is not the right move. Instead, job hunters might simply reference their desire to improve their own resume while asking for specific guidance. Contacts who feel at ease may feel inclined to offer sample resumes for the applicant to review.

In lieu of sample resumes from other workers, job seekers shouldn't hesitate to ask mentors or friendly contacts for feedback on their own professional documents. Reviewers often catch some of the most common resume mistakes, which allows applicants to address these problems before sending the resume to a recruiter. Unless a job hunter has a very strong relationship with a particular business contact, asking for a resume review, rather than an example, is often a safer approach.

Determined job hunters must utilize all of the resources at their disposal to find the perfect fit. From asking from advice from industry professionals to reviewing sample resumes, there are plenty of tools available to modern job hunters. By remaining proactive and approaching networking contacts with tact, job seekers avoid serious faux pas while simultaneously maximizing the professional opportunities available to them.

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