Applying for a job is actually marketing yourself; you may thus consider the company you are applying for as the “buyer” of your service. If you have this paradigm in your mind then you would find ways to increase your chances of being considered for the application. And just like a product or service, you will “package” yourself to become attractive to your prospective employer or recruitment manager. Here are just some of the ways you can do that.
Be clear on your strengths and weaknesses
Yes, you are applying for a job because you need a job; however there isn’t a job that “fits-all”. The tasks will be there and they are expected to get done, but if you aren’t the right person for it then you will not be as productive as your employer would expect you to be. If a job calls for applicants with exceptional skill on a particular area of work then an applicant with just a 50% knowhow on that will most likely lose that job after the probationary period, unless of course it was clearly specified that training on the job will be provided. You want a job that you know you can excel to be able to contribute well to the company. Go after jobs that will demonstrate your strengths not your weaknesses.
Polish your cover letter
Many applicants underestimate this part of the application document; some cover letters help make or break your chances of getting hired. A well-written cover letter allows you to “blow your horn” which is more like a pitch to get hired. Hiring managers expect this so take this opportunity to say exactly how you can positively contribute to their organization. When writing your cover letter, keep in mind what your hiring manager would be looking for in an applicant and make sure that is what they read in your letter.
Make it known what job position you are applying for
Don’t play the guessing game with the hiring manager because they don’t have the time. You’re chances of getting hired increases when you tell them exactly the job you are applying for. If you’re applying under a referral program make sure you notify him as well so as to give credit your referrer.
Submit a relevant resume
If you plan on creating a long list of credentials, don’t! Hiring managers are just too busy to go over them and would simply scan your resume for all the key credentials they are looking for. Save them precious time by giving them the information they need right away and reduce the number of irrelevant credentials not related to the job. If you have LinkedIn account it’s high likely that your profile there is comprehensive, in which case simply provide a link on that account if they “need to see more” of your other credentials.
Follow-up discreetly
To give the impression that you are not just going through the grind of job application but are really interested in the job, make a follow up with your recruitment manager. This officer reviews hundreds of resumes and may have overlooked yours. By making a follow -up it forces him to take a second look at your resume and if the content of that fits to the qualifications required for the job then he might just turn that over to the hiring manager right away for consideration.
Learn about the top 8 qualities hiring managers will be looking out for in the ideal candidate!
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Article Contributed by HR in Asia‘s Team.
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