When job hunting, many people obsess over their resume. Is it the right length? The right format? Is it stylish enough? Well, I have some news for you: stop obsessing about your resume and look at some alternatives to score a job interview. Hiring managers and recruiters will love you for it.

Here are the ways to get a job without a resume:

Hiring professionals dislike the whole “resume” business as much as you do. If you offer any opportunity to avoid it, they happily welcome it and most will actually go for it. You will only end up as another resume in an ATS like most job hunters who like to do things the old-fashioned way by following the ‘rules’. There are other ways to get noticed by a hiring manager outside of tricking a computer with keywords…

I have five alternatives to save you time and get you right in front of the hiring professional.

# 1 Referrals from current and past employees

This one is great because employees who are referred to an organisation already have a personal connection through the past/present employee. Also, people who are referred to a job generally stay longer and are more engaged at work. Managers at all levels love this, which is an added bonus for you, the job seeker.

# 2 Recommendations from their own professional networks

The personal connection comes up again with this strategy. Your professional network can be a real asset if used effectively. The advice I can give you here is that you should research your connection and the position carefully to make sure they are a fit. If you get this wrong it can be a real tarnish on your reputation.

# 3 Connections on LinkedIn/Facebook

Following from #2, using your social networking platforms is a great idea. I’m not talking about putting a status update that says “So broke, need a job… LOL”, but using these platforms to create a personal connection. This is especially true for people who you may have worked/socialised with a few years ago, but have since drifted apart. Be strategic with who you talk to and about what you talk about. If you know someone in a position that can help you get a job, or can refer you to someone else, then these are the people to talk to. Always make sure that you are not too forthcoming with your needs – don’t forget these are people with their own feelings. Warm up the contact first with a brief catch up before bombarding them.

#4 Conversations with Twitter followers

Not many people know that twitter can be an awesome job search tool. This best kept secret won’t last forever, so you should definitely use this sooner rather than later. This post is a great starting point for those who don’t know where to begin. If you have been using twitter already, then check out this post for a more advanced guide.

# 5 cold-call introductions

If you’re feeling gutsy and ambitious, then cold calling an employer of choice is a great idea. Almost no one does it, and for good reason – it can be nerve wracking and intimidating. But for those who do this, the hiring manager will definitely remember you for being a go-getter. This is particularly important for companies that are not hiring. I’ve heard stories of positions being created for people who do this. It demonstrates the sort of value employers can never get enough of – determination. This is the sort of behaviour that can make you an asset to a business. To do this you need to have an angle – how can you help them? Can you solve a pain-point that they are currently experiencing? To answer these questions you need to do your research on the company

So there you have it, the above are all alternate methods that don’t rely on resumes by which hiring managers fill open positions. Have you ever used any of these, or used another strategy that worked? Tell us in the comments below.

As always, remember to Keep it Simple Sunshine

Jash