Make every application count
The current high unemployment rate has made job competition fiercer than ever. With hundreds or even thousands of applications flooding recruiters’ inboxes, it is crucial to make your application stand out from the crowd.
Don’t just go through the motion of submitting CV’s randomly. Make every job application count by putting in effort, paying attention to detail, and personalising your cover letter.
It is not always just about experience. It is often about how you present yourself to the recruiters. Your CV is the first impression they have of you.
A CV that is disorganised, has errors, or lacks effort, tells the recruiter that that is how you will approach the job – with no or minimal effort and care. As a recruiter, I understand that candidates probably submit hundreds of applications and CVs too. But remember, this application may just be the application that gets you the job, so treat every applications as if it is the one. Make an effort, because if you don’t, you are wasting your time in submitting any applications.
Rather be selective if you don’t have the time to answer all the questions, or to write a personalised cover letter. Don’t send out generic letters, because you are telling the recruiter “I don’t really care about this job or this application”, and therefore why should they consider your application.
Five Tips
1. Craft an impressive CV
Take time to update and check your CV. It is the first impression a recruiter has of you. Remember first impressions last. Keep your CV short, present a one or two page CV. Recruiters do not have time to read through nine page CVs, especially if they get hundreds of applications. Provide only the essential information. Include a short “Profile” that tells the recruiter a bit about who you are and what skills you have. Give the most essential job experience. Make sure your CV contains all the latest information. Make sure it is well organised and easy to read. Do some research and look at what a good, short CV looks like (see examples here).
Leave out your ID number, your full residential address (just indicate your area of residence) and any personal information that could expose you or your personal information to criminals. You never know who is viewing your CV.
Leave out the contact numbers of references, especially if you are submitting randomly on job platforms. Not many people know this, but you are in breach of the POPI Act when you offer up your reference’s contact numbers on your (open) CV. Best practice is to state references are available on request. You can supply your prospective employer with your contactable references once you make it through to the final rounds.
Please check your CV for spelling and grammatical errors. There are many spell check tools around – use them! A CV full of mistakes tells the recruiter you do not pay attention to detail. Attention to detail if often a requirement for a position. (Did you see that, or did you read over it? Train your eyes and your brain to pick up on errors). If your CV is full of mistakes, this may eliminate you as a candidate from the start.
Don’t lie on your CV. I have seen people suggesting that lying on a CV is good practice, since you can always learn the skills/ gain experience or train on the job. This is very bad advice! We are seeing more corruption, fraud and lies everywhere and trust me, employers still value integrity and honesty. Integrity builds trust. Your lie will come out and when it does, it creates distrust. You cannot put a price on integrity.
2. Personalise your cover letter
Include a cover letter in your application. You can use a generic cover letter as long as it doesn’t include statements that may be irrelevant to the particular job. I have seen cover letters that state that the candidate would like to be considered for the advertised position in “Procurement”, when the job advertised is for a position in “Sales”. This immediately tells the recruiter that you could not be bothered to submit a cover letter tailored for this position and opted to copy and paste an old cover letter.
First prize is to write a short but personalised cover letter that is relevant to the specific job you are applying for. By doing this you are telling the recruiter that you took the time and effort to apply for this particular position and that you are truly interested. Tell the recruiter why you are applying for this position and what you have to offer the prospective employer. As unfair as this may sound, it is about what you can offer them, not about what they can offer you.
When you refrain from attaching a cover letter or opt to attach a generic cover letter, you are sending the message that you are just going through the motions and applying to any job that seems remotely relevant. It is then difficult for the recruiter to regard you as a serious applicant and they tend to shift their focus on applicants who appear keen.
3. Addressing additional questions asked
The recruiter has taken the time to ask certain questions and they tend to ask these questions for a reason. The questions usually assist them in the screening process. It assists them in finding the most suited candidates amongst all the applications and ensures that they do not accidentally miss someone who is suitable.
By ignoring these questions you are telling the recruiter that you tend to complete tasks with minimal effort, and that you are not really keen on this position.
You may feel that the information asked is contained in your CV. You may get frustrated and feel that the recruiter is wasting your time by asking you to repeat the information. But please understand that it becomes impossible to open or download every CV and search through every CV to look for the relevant information, especially if you receive hundreds or thousands of CVs. Answering the question takes just a minute or two of your time, but it makes the world of difference.
The questions often serve as a quick screening process. You may be excluded immediately if you have not answered the questions. Don’t do this to yourself. Take the time and effort to answer questions briefly but effectively. Elaborate just enough to give them the relevant information.
Please don’t lie! If you only have three years’ experience and they ask for seven years’ experience don’t say you have seven years’ experience. As they scrutinise the CV they will quickly see that you don’t have seven years’ experience. Personally, I will still consider the candidate with the three years’ experience, but am less willing to entertain a lie. If you feel you are still a good candidate although you don’t meet the criteria, rather explain this in your cover letter. Most recruiters read the cover letters.
4. Follow all instructions carefully
Procedures are there for a reason. So, answer all the questions and follow all the required instructions when submitting your application, even though it seems like effort. Applicants who have not fulfilled these instructions are often eliminated immediately from the pool of applicants. Make sure you give yourself a fighting chance. Don’t get yourself eliminated so early in the process.
5. Effort makes a difference
You are showing the recruiter that you are interested in the job, that you take pride in yourself, and that you engage in every task with care, effort and diligence, when you show effort in your applications by answering questions carefully, honestly and clearly. Even for entry level positions this could be that one factor that makes you stand out amongst the competition.
Conclusion
In a highly competitive job market, job seekers need to approach each application with dedication and attention to detail. By presenting a well-crafted CV, writing tailored cover letters, addressing additional questions, following instructions, and demonstrating effort, candidates can increase their chances of standing out to recruiters.
Remember, every application counts, and putting in the effort can make a significant difference in securing your desired job opportunity.