Job searching is on everyone’s mind these days – whether you’re a freshman in college looking for that first summer internship, a final semester senior about to graduate in May or a recent graduate who hasn’t yet landed a position.
In a recent interview with Katy Piotrowski, author of “The Career Coward’s Guide to Job Searching,” she offered some tips for improving your job application results.
1. Follow job application instructions to the letter. After running a job ad, one hiring company received 116 applications, yet only 27 of the applicants had followed directions correctly and submitted the three pieces of information (application form, résumé and references) requested. “If job seekers miss the basics in applying, how will they handle the more difficult details on the job?” asked the hiring manager.
2. Be fastidious about spelling and grammar. In the early stages of the hiring process, a decision maker may judge you solely on your application materials. A misspelled word sends the message, “I’m uneducated, sloppy and don’t care.”
3. Don’t oversell. Some job hunters think that more will be better. If they ask for two samples of your work, don’t send 10. Their time is valuable, and they may perceive you as being unable to make good decisions if you send too much.
4. Prioritize your information. Imagine having the job of reviewing more than 100 job applications to find five candidates to interview. Now ask yourself, “How can I make this job easier for the resume screener?” List details about yourself that are particularly relevant to the job first, so that they’re more likely to be noticed.
5. Follow up. Unless the job ad says, “No calls please,” phone the hiring coordinator a day or two after she would have received your application materials. Confirm that they were received successfully, and ask if any further information is needed. Wrap up the conversation with a heartfelt, “I’m really excited about this job, and I hope I’ll receive an interview. Thank you for considering me.”
Join me and J.T. O'Donnell, a caeer coach, workplace consultant and founder of Careerealism, for a free, live, online chat about crafting winning cover letter and résumés for internship and entry-level job candidates. The chat will begin at 4 p.m. EST / 1 p.m. PST on Sunday, February 8, 2009. Click here to register.
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