To compete in this tough job market takes a lot of time and energy. You can’t just send out your resume to every job opening, slap on a generic cover letter and expect to get employers fighting over you. No. You have to examine the job description, determine the key words and then customize your resume and cover letter to outsmart the company’s electronic screening software. Not just for one or two jobs…every one!
So, you go through this exercise 10, 20 or 30 bizzillion times, and still get the emails that say, “…thanks for sending your resume. We’ve carefully considered your qualifications and have decided to pursue other candidates.” No matter how politely and legally defendable they say it, a rejection is a rejection. There are no constructive feedback or suggestions on how to be more competitive. Just “no thanks.”
It’s enough to make you give up. Hey, wait a minute. Can I interrupt this little pity party and make a wild suggestion? Instead of the mean employers taking the heat, could it be job seekers are wasting a prospective employer’s time? Here are some ways to leverage your efforts and make the most of your job search.
1. Read the job posting. I mean, really read it. Not just the job title. Every job is different. Just because the job title is remotely related to your skill set doesn’t mean you’ll be qualified. If it’s not a perfect fit, don’t bother.
2. Check off the “minimum requirements.” They’re not kidding. If they want a Master’s degree and you don’t have one, you’re wasting your time responding online. The online screening gremlins will tag your application for one of those “Thanks but no thanks” letters. Seven years experience means seven years, not six and a half. I have a friend that applied online with a few months under the minimum time and was rejected because the gremlins did the math and she came up short.
3. Resist multiple applications at the same company. You may think it’s more time and cost effective to just apply for three or four positions, but if your applications make it through the gremlins, you’ll show up in someone’s inbox as multiple personalities. Contrary to popular belief, you won’t be seen as versatile. More like confused or desperate or undecided. Your time would be better spent applying for one job with the best fit.
4. Follow-up. Yes, it’s important to send a note or email immediately after the interview and keep in touch afterwards. Once a week is enough, not every day and twice on Friday. When you follow up, ask what the next steps are and how the prospective employer prefers to follow up. Then, follow his lead.
5. Move on. If you get a reject, learn what you can and move on. On the other hand, I have on occasion sent a follow up email expressing appreciation for the interview and asked if they had any feedback for me. Most employers won’t respond for fear of a discrimination lawsuit, but some may let you know where your skills or experience fell short. They may have misunderstood something, and you’ll have an opportunity to restate your qualifications.
Think about it. You go out to dinner and ask for the sauce and the salad dressing on the side. You want the end cut of the prime rib or insist on a table by the window. You prefer certain clothing labels because of the fit or quality. We can be so picky about the smallest thing and expect exactly what we asked for. It’s the same for an employer. They are looking for a certain person with exactly what they need. You don’t want to settle for second best, and neither do they.
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