Looking for a job?
Lots of people are, all the time. How do you stand out from the pack?
Having been on both sides of the job application equation, I can tell you that there are some things that are genuinely out of your control. When times are tough and the number of good applicants is high, it's hard to get onto that all-important short list.
But I've had to sort through job applications and I can tell you one thing right up front - if you don't respond specifically to the job advertisement, you have no hope of making it onto the short list. Your cover letter and resume have one job to do, just ONE - and that is to convince a recruiter that you should be interviewed.
If you are not suited to the role, you will barely be looked at. Don't waste recruiters' time by applying for a job just because it's there. If you genuinely ARE suited to the job, your cover letter and resume need to make that clear to the recruiter in the shortest amount of time.
You achieve this by changing the way you think about your job application. Your aim is not to provide a summary of your working life. Your aim is to show exactly how you are perfectly suited to that role and that organisation. Your resume is a description of your strengths, skills and experience AS THEY PERTAIN TO THE ADVERTISED ROLE, and your cover letter is a map or guide to your resume.
Resist the urge to include everything about your career. If you have been in the workforce for ten years or more, it is highly likely that you will have learnt skills or taken jobs that are not really relevant (remember that after-school job at the pizza place? Not relevant for a team leader role in a large utility).
Take the time to really read and understand the job description, highlight parts that match your skills and experience, make notes, read between the lines. Then tailor your resume and cover letter for that specific job. Don't send your generic versions (I've received cover letters containing the name of the company that last got the generic cover letter - not a good look!).
Do some research about the organisation. Know what they do and how they do it. Putting in the effort to do this speaks volumes. I still recall a cover letter from an applicant who had clearly done her research and quoted statistics to me about our operation, then proceeded to tell me how she could help. She went to the top of the short-list pile.
If you really want the job, putting in the effort to create the best possible resume and cover letter is worth it. After all, it could turn out to be your dream job!
If you would like help with your resume and cover letter, get in touch with me on anita@redpepper.net.au