Applying for jobs seemingly appears to grow more difficult as time goes on. With a plethora of job seekers who hold the same experience and qualifications as yourself, how can you ensure you stand out from the rest? We have compiled some tips to help guide you in the application process.
Be Specific
Never feel the need to settle for a job or a company you are only semi-interested in. To start, make sure to do your research and find out exactly what you want to do. Time is precious therefore use it to look up your desired position and how your qualifications and experience may fit into that. As a recruitment agency, we are here to help assist in job searches to find your best match. Applying for several jobs at a time can be a tedious and monotonous process and if you are not fully set on the role you are applying for then you risk submitting an application that doesn’t live up to its full potential. You should only apply for roles that you know you will be happy in accepting.
Once you have the role you want in your head, it is now time to open enquiries to find a company that best suits you. There may be plenty of job openings for your role however every company is different and the way that role is conducted in each sector will be different. Spend some time looking up your industry and the work environment and then apply to places where you will thrive and be motivated.
Read the Job Description Carefully
Now you have the role and company in mind, it is time to start looking at what is available. Reading the job description carefully and properly is key for more than one reason. It is easy to read a job listing and make assumptions, however, only once you have read the job description will you know what it entails and what is expected of you. The job description gives an outline of the job in question and provides all the details you need prior to any direct contact with the company. This will help you determine whether you want to apply or not. Carefully read the identification section to gain more insight into the business. Thoroughly run through the job role, responsibilities, and asses the requirements to see if you make an appropriate candidate. You can also use the job description as a guideline to stick to when applying to ensure your application is specific to each different company. This shows attention to detail – if your application is taken further then you already have prior knowledge of the organization rather than going in blind sighted. This also leads on perfectly to the next tip.
Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter
Given all the prior research from your job search and job description, you should also gather some further insight to each company you have applied for, e.g. the name of the person in charge of recruitment so you can address them directly. Have some background knowledge about who they are and perhaps their purpose, vision and values (if applicable). Use all of the information you have gathered to create or edit your current CV so it is specific to each workplace. Your CV should detail all the experience and qualifications that are fitting to the role. Whilst it is great you may have gathered a bountiful of experience, if it is not applicable to the job in question then we recommend you leave it out. Keep it precise and to the point so that employers do not have to try hard to find whether you match the description, it should be right there in front of them. Remember how many CV’s employers receive, if yours is hard to navigate then more often than not they will dismiss it. The same goes for the cover letter. This is your chance to really tailor it to the business. Explain why that specific company appeals to you and how you would be an addition to the team. Still keep it short and sweet, but show off your knowledge.
We hope with these tips you will find the job application process less daunting and be assured that you are doing it the right way!
ABL Recruitment team
