Read The Google Resume for Free Online Page B

While you’re banging down their door to get in, recruiters are running around trying to find you.
    You might be able to just stand still, dutifully submitting your résumé online. With a bit of luck and an outstanding résumé, they just might bump into you and ring you up. Most candidates, however, find that they must get a bit more creative.
    The Black Hole: Online Job Submission
    I won’t sugarcoat this for you; we call it a black hole for a reason. Applying online does not exactly have the best track record for yielding interviews.
    But it happens. I got my job at Apple by applying online—of course, I had three prior internships at Microsoft. Kari, a financial analyst at Amazon, applied through Amazon’s web site and promptly received one of those e-mails—“blah, blah, blah . . . we’ll keep your résumé on file.” And they did, and later offered her a job. Philip got his job at Bloomberg LP through applying on Monster.com .
    I can personally attest to the fact that Google does look through its online résumé submission, because I’ve been previously drafted to screen such résumés. We essentially played a recruiter’s version of Duck-Duck-Goose: reject, reject, reject, call!
    As random as the process is, you can do a bit to shift the odds just a bit more in your favor.
    Making the Best of the Black Hole
    To increase your chances of getting a call, make sure you follow every instruction. Needle, haystack: you do the math. With so many applicants to wade through, recruiters and hiring managers may look for any excuse to toss your résumé. If they want your transcript, submit your transcript. If they want your top three desired teams, answer their question. Little mistakes can be fatal.
    Second, if the job opening is fresh, apply quickly. Waiting three days to think things over just increases the size of the haystack. Companies may even stop looking after a certain point so that they can make decisions on the early birds.
    Third, put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager. If she does a search through the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), what keywords will they use? Make sure to list these on your résumé. For example, if the role encourages an MBA, you’ll want to make sure that you have “MBA” written on your résumé rather than just “Master of Business Administration.” You may want to list your education as “Master of Business Administration (MBA), 2010” to make sure your résumé gets picked up by both searches.
    Fourth, remember that just because you discover the opening through a job web site doesn’t mean you have to apply through it. “If the application mentions the recruiter’s or hiring manager’s name, you might be able to track down his name to send a personalized note,” advises Barry Kwok, a former Google recruiter.
    Getting a Personal Referral
    Sure, Kari, Philip, and I wiggled our way out of the black hole, but all of our other jobs? Referrals. The same goes for almost everyone I know (with the notable exception of those who came through college recruiting).
    Personal referrals are, hands down, the best way to get a job. Not only will a company be more likely to consider someone who’s been referred, but you’ll also be more likely to find a position that matches your skills and interests. It’s a win-win.
    Tell Your Friends
    When I left Google, suddenly people came out of the woodwork. Start-ups, bigger companies, recruiting firms, positions I’ve never had (or wanted to have)—they all came calling. I ended up taking a position as VP of engineering at a venture capital–funded start-up without a résumé or formal interview.
    My situation is far from unique. If you have a highly valued talent and strong credentials to back it up, you may only need to let your contacts know what you’re looking for. People want to help.
    If you use social networking web sites like Facebook or Twitter, a simple message asking if anyone can connect you to your dream company