If you’re like the majority of job seekers, you are spending a fair amount of time searching for jobs online. Whilst there various other search methods – networking, company research, career days, recruiters, etc. – once you finally find a job opening, many companies will direct you to their online job application process no matter how you found it in the first place. However, more than 50% of the time cv’s and applications end up in the reject pile, because of carelessness on the part of the job seeker.
To improve your chances, here are our suggestions for getting the most visibility out of your online application
- A successful job search is not a “numbers game” – applying for as many jobs as possible is not a winning strategy. Take the time to thoroughly read the job description - Read every paragraph, every sentence. Read it word-for-word. Seriously!
- Understand exactly what it expected. Often the job requirements are a wish list of the education, experience and skills of what will be best suited for the job:
- Prospective employers want candidates who meet all the requirements, but may consider someone who meets most – therefore, a good rule of thumb is to only invest your time applying to jobs where you meet 80% of the criteria
- There will always be certain criteria that is not negotiable, rather spend your time applying for jobs where you have a better chance of success.
- Are the duties and responsibilities in line with what you would enjoy doing for 8/9 hours a day, 5 days a week? If the duties listed do not interest you, move along – don’t waste your time or the recruiters
- Fill out all the fields in the application process. Some recruiters will disregard candidates who don’t complete their applications or who don’t follow the instructions - Look at it from the recruiter’s perspective. If your application is sloppy or incomplete, clearly demonstrating that you didn’t read the job posting, why would they think that your work would be any different? They won’t. They view your application as an example of your work. And, they don’t want to hire someone who isn’t paying attention or who is unable to follow directions. It will be assumed that’s a demonstration of how you would perform as an employee.
- Clean up your social media profiles – ensure that they are current, particularly with LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook, make sure that you don’t have public images or content that would deter recruiters from wanting to hire you. Make sure your online data is working for you!
- Review all the information you have provided before hitting the submit button. Double-check everything, remember first impressions are important, so, make the best one possible when you apply.
- Don’t delay your application for a particular job, even if there is a deadline listed – most recruiters will start reviewing applications one they’ve received a good pool of candidates to work with – this means that the bar may already be set rather high. Or, if you wait too long, the interview schedule could already be full of promising candidates.
Use these links for additional tips:
A Job-Seeker’s Guide to Successfully Completing Job Applications