A couple of days ago, I got an email from a frustrated human resources manager for a major employer in my area. He sent an email with a warning in the subject line, since his message was a rant and he needed to vent. What drove him to this extreme? It was the frustration of receiving resumes from applicants who didn’t even have the minimum qualifications for the jobs, or for jobs that weren’t even listed. One resume was from an applicant applying for a real estate job. His company is in logistics.
Some job seekers think the best way to get a job is to send out as many resumes as possible. While that will get your name out there, your strategy may backfire. If you apply for three jobs in different departments at the same company, you won’t be taken seriously for any of them. Instead of a positive impression, you will seem indecisive and lazy. Human resources managers stay in touch with each other, and it won’t take long before your name could end up on their “do not hire” list.
1. Apply for jobs you are qualified for. Check the minimum requirements, skills and education. A hiring manager may wonder if you are paying attention to the job postings or just mass-mailing your resumes to every job listed in the paper.
2. Spread out your applications at the same company. It’s possible to be qualified for several open positions at the same company. Space them out, so your emails don’t appear in a list in the HR manager’s inbox.
3. If there are several positions at different levels, choose the one that best matches your qualifications. Don’t apply for a management, supervisor and clerical position in the same department at the same time. It appears you’re desperate, and will take any job and that you’re not confident you would be successful at your level.
4. Set up a spreadsheet for job applications and responses. Unfortunately, companies get so many applications that they often don’t respond at all. Follow up after a couple of weeks, but don’t call every day. It won’t take long for HR to recognize your phone number on caller ID and just let it go to voicemail.
5. Be sure to customize your resumes and cover letters. Make a checklist to remind you to change the dates, inside address of the company, salutation and specifics about the position for each. Sending your resume and cover letter to Joe Brown in the address and then starting with “Dear Harry” makes a bad impression. You come across as rushed or with a poor attention to detail and careless about your work. Not qualities that prompt a job offer.
Taking the time to plan your job search and manage the details will keep your reputation in the HR community. HR Managers also send excellent resumes to their HR friends who are looking for candidates. A little attention to detail and consideration for a busy HR Manager can work to your advantage and keep you off the applicant blacklist.
Taking the time to plan your job search and manage the details will keep your reputation in the HR community. HR Managers also send excellent resumes to their HR friends who are looking for candidates. A little attention to detail and consideration for a busy HR Manager can work to your advantage and keep you off the applicant blacklist.
What pitfalls have you encountered in your job search, and how did you overcome them? Share your experiences with other readers in the Comments section below.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for educationjobsite.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients discover what they love and spend their life on it. You can read more of her blogs at http://www.educationjobsiteblog.com/ and view additional job postings on Nexxt
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