I’m often told by job seekers that they have applied for 30 or 50 or so many jobs that they have lost count of how many applications they have submitted. Instantly the alarm bells start to ring. It’s true the job market is tight but I’d argue good candidates are still hard to find. We often receive a huge volume of applications for particular jobs yet on many occasions the calibre of those applications can be quite poor. If you’ve lost count of how many jobs you have applied for then it’s time to sit back and have a good hard look at your job application approach.
If you’re doing the following, chances are you are tripping yourself up from landing your dream job.
- You make no effort – Taking the time and making the effort to tailor your resume and covering letter to the specific position you are applying for will go a long way in helping you stand out from the crowd. If all you do is hit the apply now button and shoot off resumes here there and everywhere, trust me, the recruiter will be able to tell. And we don’t just want anyone for the job, we want someone who is engaged and interested in the job who is prepared to make the effort.
- You don’t follow the instructions on how to apply – If it says call and request a Position Description, do it. If it says submit a covering letter, do it. If you have to address key selection criteria, do it. If you can’t follow the instructions on how to apply you are never going to get anywhere with your application and you might as well save yourself the time and energy and not apply at all.
- Attention to detail – I see so many applications that don’t reference the position being applied for or the application states the wrong position title all together. Or in your covering letter or the career objective section of your resume you say you are looking for a career in hospitality yet you are applying for an admin job. If you can’t get that level of detail right in your application, you will be going straight to the no pile before the recruiter even looks at the skills and experience you have to offer.
- Your social media footprint is a turn off – Many recruiters are checking people’s social media footprint these days as part of the recruitment process and if they don’t like what they see your application won’t be going any further. It’s not just about having an inappropriate social media footprint. Depending on the type of job you are applying for, not having a footprint at all or not leveraging social media may also go against you.
- You are too fussy – Are you limiting your opportunities by only considering permanent full time positions. Think outside the square and be open to other working arrangements. Temp opportunities are a great way to build up your resume, expand your skills and experience and I’ve lost count of how many times I have placed a temp and it has transitioned to a permanent position. Sometimes you need to think outside the square about how you can get a foot in the door.
- You’ve got a poorly designed resume – If your resume doesn’t appropriately demonstrate your transferable skills, relevant experience and if it’s not easy for the reader to interpret then you are probably going to end up in the too hard basket and your application will go nowhere. Not sure of the effectiveness of your resume, ask a professional. There are many professional resume writers out there but if you are going to engage the services of a professional make sure you check their credibility. Are they talking to employers everyday about what they want to see in a resume and what the latest trends are for making your resume stand out from the crowd? Make sure you pick a professional that has their finger on the pulse and has the experience on the other side of the recruiting table.
Don’t get frustrated with your job search. Take a reality check and make sure you are doing everything you possibly can to put your best foot forward when applying for a job. If you are not prepared to make the effort to cover off these 6 issues then save yourself the frustration and don’t bother applying. In the end it’s about the quality of the application that will get you noticed, not the quantity of how many you apply for.
