Having been in business for nearly 36 year in a small cadastral surveying practise.
Fist up I believe that is a waste of time sending out an expensive resume if cold calling for employment. In my case they were all binned because I am a solo surveyor (since 1999).
Dear sir/Madam also did not wash as proves a scatter gun approach looking for job and no primary research into surveying company. Letters and regime binned with out reading further.
Better to send out a succinct letter, less than a page. Tightly tailored to each individual firm stating skills and experience and mentioning from your research how those skills could work in the survey firm’s favour. Of course adding basic personnel details age, gender, highest education and any other relevant skills. Last but not least contact details. Keep referees and dates and all the fill in on education etc to your resume.
Remember that when you are looking for a job that it is highly likely that few or no surveying firms are also looking for staff.(Hence the introductory letter)
Only include a resume in a job application response if requested in the advertisement.
Finally the best approach is to personally call in unannounced with your cover letter and a determination to speak to a person of authority whose name that you have previously determined, so that you can personally hand over the open one page letter of introduction and succinctly explain your position.
Finally (again), but here is one for fellow survey firm owners.
I have to say that I always stopped and made time for those who bothered to cold call for a potential vacancy because I knew they had made an effort. As I also knew I could not employ I would find out their qualifications and then suggest appropriate names of survey firms who may be of assistance.
Obviously there are other posters who can contribute additional tips to employment.
RADU
