Just getting to the interview stage isn’t easy, so instead of spending all that time preparing for possible interview questions and answers, it’s best to start small and focus instead on doing all you can to get that dream call back to say you’ve made it to the next round.
It’s a lot harder to promote your abilities on a piece of paper than in person, but sometimes, it isn’t about the stuff you put on a resume, but the small things that can lead to success.
Make Sure Your Cover Letter is Relevant to the Job
It may sound simple, but when it comes to applying for potentially dozens of jobs, it can become increasingly harder to personalise a cover letter for each position. The thing is, most recruiters are very skilled in the art of deciphering the amount of work you put into this very important document.
The best thing to do here is to show that you’ve done your research in the company and use it to align with your own professional objectives and capabilities.
A great way to do this is by research the company’s mission and vision statement, their objectives (if you can find it) as well as their corporate culture.
Use these to reflect on the reasons why you’d be a good fit for the organisation, such as describing how your own values align well with their identity and objectives.
This shows the recruiter that you’ve taken your time to understand the company and that you’re committed. It’s also a great way for them to work out whether you’d fit seamlessly into the team or department the positon is in.
Another thing to remember; If you don’t address an envelope when you put it into the mail, it’s going to get lost. But this isn’t the only issue with not addressing a cover letter, as it also has a greater lack of personalisation.
Taking the time to find out who will be reading the letter and resume is very important in showing your commitment and ambition for the job.
If you’re unsure who is in charge of the recruitment process, the best thing to do is to call up and ask. If you can talk to them personally and grab their details, even better!
Ensure You Have a Strong Online Presence
With the growing use of technology, the internet and especially social media; it’s getting increasingly easier for recruiters to access your information and find out the type of person you are.
First off, you should try to limit access to your social media accounts, unless they are of a professional nature.
Some people choose to have a public and private account, one which they can share and interact with friends, and one that acts as a promotional tool for attracting jobs.
Sharing relevant tweets and posts in an industry that you’re looking to enter is a great way of showcasing your genuine interest in a particular area and can be very appealing to potential recruiters. A LinkedIn account is one of the most used tools in HR and an absolute must if you want to stand out from the crowd during the recruitment stage.
Try to add similar connections and follow relevant influencers. Also watch it regularly for messages and who’s viewed your profile as it’s a fantastic place for recruiters to contact you directly.
Follow-up On Your Resume Submissions
This is a very important tip and one that often goes ignored. The main theme running through all of these tips is commitment.
Being committed to a company, position or industry goes a long way and so does taking the time to follow through with your applications.
If you don’t hear back from an agency or company after a few days, it’s best to give them a call and enquire about it.
You can ask if they received it successfully and also benefits by reminding them of your CV. This can sometimes even boost yours to the top of the list to be reviewed or even help the recruiter remember you when they review it.
Remember, It’s a Resume; Not an Essay
If you’re struggling to get a call back for that all-important job interview stage, it may be as simple as the formatting of your resume. Some recruiters can spend hours a day during the hiring process scouring countless pieces of paper that all seem the same.
After a while, it’s easy to grow bored when reading the same thing over and over again; even when that is a part of your job. If you want to stand out and avoid your resume being lumped together with the rest of the competition; then try to avoid these things:
- Wordiness
It can be very easy to get carried away when writing a resume, especially when it comes to wording everything. Most applicants at this stage try to cram as many industry-relevant terms and nonsense jargon into their CV’s in a blatant attempt to make it seem like they know what they’re doing.
While sometimes this can be highly worthwhile, recruiters tend to know when someone is using technical terms and phrases in the right context, and when they’re trying to sound experienced. Another tip; there’s nothing wrong with keeping language simplistic. Over complicating the phrasing of your sentences and creating wordiness can make it difficult to both
While sometimes this can be highly worthwhile, recruiters tend to know when someone is using technical terms and phrases in the right context, and when they’re trying to sound experienced. Another tip; there’s nothing wrong with keeping language simplistic. Over complicating the phrasing of your sentences and creating wordiness can make it difficult to both
Over complicating the phrasing of your sentences and creating wordiness can make it difficult to both read with ease, and stay focused on the content.
- Clutter
Large paragraphs, minimal spacing and small font are not favourable when it comes to resumes, however, they are still a common sight. Keeping sentences short and concise as well as using dot points are great ways at avoiding cluttering a resume as well as having the added benefit of making your key skills and experience easier to read.
At the end of the day, no matter how many jobs you apply for, if your resume and cover letter aren’t up to scratch, it can be very difficult to get that amazing callback to say you’ve made it through to the interview.
Now that you know the best ways to clean up your resume and how to follow up on an application; there’s nothing holding you back from applying for the dream job that before may have seen so far out of reach!
by wpengine
by Candlefox