There are two types of resumes that get attention and consideration before any others; the first is the internal resume. The internal candidate is already employed by the employer. Many employers give first consideration to their present employees when there is a job opening. These internal hires or promotions happen often whenever an employee desires to advance within the company. If the employee has a solid track record and qualifies for the position open, most outsiders will not be considered. Notice I said most.

If you do not already work for the company where you are applying for a position, the next best place to be is in the second class group. For competitive, legal, and company policy reasons, employers will often advertise open positions even though they have employees who are contenders. If the position is advertised the best way to compete with internal candidates in the first group is to get in the next category of resumes which is second class.

The resumes in second class, ahead of all third class candidates, are the ones that have been recommended by someone of influence to HR. The recommendation resume is one of the most powerful methods for getting job interviews. The power this type of resume has is measured by who is making the recommendation. The ‘who you know’ rule applies here.

The recommendation or referral can be internal such as a current employee of the company, a department head within the company, a Vice President, or even the CEO. If the CEO of the company recommends you to HR you are almost guaranteed an interview. If the department head where the position exists asks HR to interview you, your foot is usually in the door. If someone within the company recommends you depending on where they fall in the pecking order, you will probably get in.

The referral could also be from someone outside the company that has some clout such as an industry leader, someone known to the company, or even an influential celebrity. Getting a referral from a celebrity in general that has no business ties with the potential employer runs the risk of appearing purely as name dropping. A celebrity with a connection, for instance one who heads the charity foundation where the company CEO volunteers or contributes, could be like gold.

The person could be an industry celebrity, locally well know person, or nationally recognized name. You will often need to do some research to find out what celebrities have connections with the target employer though this can be well worth the effort. Be aware thought that riding the coat tails of a celebrity can have some downsides. Job hunts can last quite some time and if during your job hunt your star should fall and suffer any bad publicity as stars often do any dirt on those coat tails could rub off on you.

The right referral can make a second rate resume compete in first class against any internal candidates. If there are no internal candidates competing for a position, your recommendation cover letters can move you to first place.