Should I Indicate My Availability in My Resume?

Should I Indicate My Availability in My Resume?

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter explains whether you should indicate your availability in your resume.

Sometimes, Don’t Use the Whip

The question reads, “should I include date of availability in my resume?”

This is something that would apply to both students and consultants as well as temporary workers, so I’m going to texture my answer given the circumstances.

For the student, of course, it depends on when you are writing this or sending a resume.  If this is November at the time before graduation, you might, in the resume, indicate your expected degree date and when that would be.  Let’s say it’s made or June of the following year, that sends a clear signal to them as to when you’re available.  If this is March and you have an expected degree date I had, they have an idea as to when you are available, right?

If you are a consultant in the assignment is going to complete in 3 months, what are you sending a resume now?  You are way early in the process.  I might start to or 2 1/2 months before TOPS.  For a consultant, really just send out the resume earlier than that is just a waste of people’s time.  It’s not like they’re going to save it and come back to it and say to themselves, “You know that guy who is going to be available in 3 months?  Now is the time!”  No, it is just going to go to their system and that little bit of data is not going to be remembered or saved.  It’s a time waster to send it out to early.

For students, the indication of expected degree date is important.  If you have an internship that is going on they might allow you to (wink wink) give people the idea that you are working full-time, it really depends on when you can start.  If the ideas that you be willing to start within those last few months before graduation, that’s one layer and I would indicate that I would explain in the cover email.  That’s in the body of the email to which your resume is attached. 

Beyond that, keep it simple.  Leave it in the resume as to what your expected degree date is.

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