Are you getting a bit confused as to why you are continually rejected in your job applications?
Do the words “Thank you for your application for the post of…..” now strike a dark cloud across your entire world, let alone the day?
Are you feeling very rejected and upset, and wondering what you can do to change this?
Well, here’s a little and free five point test to understand why:
1. Print out the first page of your CV/Resume – no need for the rest of it
2. Fold it in half along the long side of the A4 sheet of paper. Now tear it in half, so you have two separate pieces of paper for the top and bottom halves
3. Take the advert for the job you are applying for, and using a highlighter pen mark out the key skill requirements – no more than five, if in doubt the first five they list
4. Take the top half of the first page of your CV/Resume (much like the rest of it – no need for the bottom half) and using the advert as a template, find the same five skills in the top half page of your CV/Resume
5. Now see if you can find your name, telephone number and eMail address on the same marked top half
Hint: if you can’t find the skill requirements from the advert, and can’t find your contact details – then that’s why you are being rejected! The fact you also have a cover letter which doesn’t address these points may mean even that half sheet of paper is never seen by anything more than a temp secretary tasked with reviewing a whole pile of similar applicants, to “find those who meet the job’s basic criteria.” Even if the review process is undertaken by me/any other recruiter or a professional HR manager, then if it doesn't pass that test in our minds - rejected.
When as a professional recruiter I point this out to people, they ask why? They think that the more effort they put into page2, highlighting how skilled they are, will always get them the job. NO – sorry! The person who placed the advert has spent at least 50 times as much time completing the process to the point where the advert was published, and a CV/Resume is only there to get you a job interview – no more, no less. It simply answers the questions:
A. Do you have the basic job description skills requirements? Hence the above test – if not, why read the rest of it…..
B. If you do meet the basic job description requirements, then is there something more to make you part of our team?
Think I am being a bit too tough here? There's an old adage from Madison Avenue which pretty much sums this up:
"If I see the world through John Smith's eyes, I can sell John Smith what John Smith buys."
So, next time BEFORE you write an application out for a job – apply the above test, and reduce the number of “Thank you for your application for the post of…..” letters and dark days of unemployment. You are good enough to do the job, you now know how to get the interview for it to prove that!
Good Luck!
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4 comments:
Excellent Ian!
The words 'read a job description before you apply' need to be installed into every job seekers brain!!
Brilliant advice Ian.
That's a great way of of making the points so obvious.
When I've advised people on their CVs (just as a mate and as a someone who has previously sifted through hundreds of responses to job ads) I used to add a key piece of advice.
It's implicit ion your blog post too.
Applicants should remember the primary purpose of a CV is NOT to get them the job. It's to get them the interview.
Make it easy for whoever receives your CV to say - yes, we'll interview that one.
Very concise comments Ian and very relevant at this time.
As an employer over the years I have 'read' thousands of CVs and they really do need to get to the point very quickly.
In fact sometimes they may not even get read because you can just 'see' where they are coming from.
Thanks and Merry Christmas
Keith
Sometimes, though, there aren't clear expectations of what the employer wants. What then? Ask for a job description before applying? Then How do I get a job description?
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