The Sexy Job Search: Resume Flirting

Flirting is thrilling. You get to play up your game, and see who you can attract. You get to keep tabs on people, and include them in your black book. You’re not committed, so you can flirt with as many people as you wish.

Job searching is like dating. In order to land that first date, you need to know how to flirt. That’s where your resume comes in. Inspired by several Millennials I have spoken with, here is a guide to crafting the prefect resume flirting technique:

Look good

You never get a second chance at a first impression. Make sure your resume is dressed to the nines.

Think about the right typeface (size, shade of gray, serif or sans-serif) – it’s noticeable. Consider your margins and know how to work them on your resume as well as you work your swag towards all those potential dates on the dance floor.

If you want to emphasize certain assets, no need to bold, underline and italicize all at once, just keep it simple. Choose one style for the night and stick with it.

Be smooth

When writing emails, always let the audience feel important. As much as you’d like to showcase what a great catch you are, let the employer feel as though he or she is all that–and a bag of chips. Mention the work the company has done and how it helped you in some way.

If you want to take smooth to another level, mail your resume to the company and handwrite your cover letter. Find out the name of the person who will be reading your resume and personalize it with a touch of  “only you.” Discover the name of the hiring manager by Googling (what Millennials do best), calling the receptionist, or going straight to HR.

Confidence will play a key role in how you charm your potential dates. The right resources will help you get closer much faster.

Add some mystery

Mention your skills, but don’t give away too much. You have to always leave room for your reader to want to know more about you.

Alexei Abramov, A Toronto resident and Account Coordinator at Syncapse Corp explains, “Much of what’s on paper is best communicated in person. In my opinion, when you include intriguing content in your resume without revealing too much, it provides you with an opportunity to have a truly engaging interview. This in turn lets you gain a better feel for how good of a match you and your organization of interest are.”

Can you recall people you found interesting because you had to dig just a bit to find out more? Take some of this ingredient and add it to your mix.

The waiting desperately thing doesn't look good on anyone..

Contact information and a follow-up date

This caps off your flirting mechanisms. Think about an event where you met somebody interesting and you totally charmed that person’s pants off. Be that way in your emails, written letters, and resumes. Include a date to let the employer know you’ll be calling.

As mentioned, you’re not in a committed relationship, so give your contact information out to as many employers as you like and set plenty of dates to craft your game. One important suggestion: if you’re doing the email thing–protect your image by not using an email address like, “sugarlipsaremyspecialty6969@hotmail.com.”

Follow-up

If it’s been a week and you haven’t heard back, don’t sweat it. Nobody likes the waiting game, so play it cool and give the hiring manager or HR a call, but allow three days to a week to follow-up – the industry standard of both dating and resume sending. Anything less than three days is considered too soon, aggressive, and desperate.

In other cases, it is suggested to play out the situation. Michael Potash, another Toronto native and copywriter at Cossette Communications said, “It changes with every person or place you meet/apply to. You have to feel out the situation, as best you can of course, and act in a way that suits that situation. Some people may look to hear from you within a day or two, some in a week.”

To recap: look good, be prepared, set up the connection, and always play it cool.

Those are some of my techniques to get noticed. What are some of yours?

Photos by Inlingua Manchester and Zetson.