Tips for Getting Recognized in Your Job Search
Posted on October 18, 2017
This is not “the 80’s.” Some things have changed… Some things are easier, and some things are harder. Easier to apply to a lot of postings, and Harder to get noticed. You may need some help and Professional Coaching.
Unfortunately, some of the very things that have made it easier to apply have made it harder for you to get noticed. Go on-line… Monster, CareerBuilder, or other boards, and it’s easy to apply to a posted job. So easy, in fact, that you can apply to jobs with the single click of a button… or dozens. Too Easy!
In your effort to broadcast your “Resume,” have you forgotten a few things? How about:
- Do you know that most Top Opportunities are NOT advertised on the popular Job-Boards?
- Have you made yourself accessible to a Professional Recruiting Agency specific to your Target Industry? They can often help Considerably in Matching Top Candidates with Top Companies.
- If you are answering a posted job listing, did you read the entire posting?
- Did you consider whether or not you met any or all of the Requirements?
- Was there a Contact Person listed?
- Did you check out the company on LinkedIn and see if you had any Networking Connections?
- Are you even active and up-to-date in LinkedIn?
- Did you make the effort to “craft” a Cover Letter?
- Was it Personalized to the Contact person?
- Did you tailor (not falsify, but tailor) your Cover and Resume to include any KEY Words or Requirements from the post?
- Did you spend Real Time preparing a presentation that would Stand Out?
In the current market, HR Departments and Hiring Managers receive a massive number of applicants per posting. Those I’ve spoken with indicate upwards of 80% include no cover, don’t attach a “word” version of their Resume, and show evidence of not having even read the ad. Wonder why you didn’t get called?
Now, some additional advice if you’re not guilty of the sins listed above…
- Apply with Quality, not Quantity in mind.
- Save a copy of all listings you submit, and attach the Resume sent, and the Cover Letter.
- Review them Daily, going back at least 4 weeks… and Follow-up with an E-mail if it was listed in the ad. Don’t Pester, but FOLLOW-UP
- Work with a Trusted Recruiter, one that takes the time to know you, your ambitions, background, and skills… as well as intimate knowledge of the positions in which they are looking to place Top Candidates.
If you do those things, and are organized, when you get a call indicating you submitted an application, you will remember it, and in moments be able to access the critical points that are important to the screener/interviewer. It’s not pleasant to hear, as a screener:
“Well, I may have applied to that… I’ve applied for a lot of jobs.”
That is guaranteed to leave a very unfavorable first impression… At least it does for me… and I have heard it (too) many times.