2. Applying for a Job is an Artform

Submitting your resume is no longer the only thing we need to do when applying for a job. We have entered the more is more era and if you want to stand out and be visible you need to go the extra mile. In this episode we cover all of the additional steps you need to take when applying for job to increase your chances of getting to the interview!

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Transcript

Applying for a job is a lot more than just submitting your resume.  It’s an art form.  And, it’s about making yourself visible.  You want to make sure you have reached out to different company contacts and recruiters on LinkedIn first where you can create a human connection before the application.  This can also be done after the application is submitted, but ideally before.   You want to have an in and someone who knows you and may refer you or can flag your resume in the system.  

So here is the thing you need to understand about how this HR software and screening system works.  And how do we know this?  We sell interviewing software to employers who use it in their hiring process, so we are very aware of the inner workings of hiring software.  So, when you submit a resume it is screened by the system which is an algorithm.  It first needs to be able to read your resume which is why excess use of formatting and graphics can be a problem as it can make your resume text unreadable by the scanner.   The resume scanning step takes the words on your resume and runs it against the words in the job description. The more matches you have, the higher the likelihood you will advance to the next interview step.  If you are not getting interviews it usually means you have not been shortlisted by a recruiter or HR team member due to a referral or a personal connection or conversation, OR, your resume is not registering as a high enough match score.

This is why you need to take the time to tailor your resume for every job you apply to.  This means prioritize the language based on your skills that match the job description requirements.  This is not faking your skills. This is editing and emphasizing your skills and de-emphasizing or removing skills that are not relevant.  It can also mean adding language to your descriptions or summary that relate to specific role descriptions, title and other keywords.  If there is an opportunity to add a cover letter or personalized note, take advantage of that and don’t just use the same one you use for every job application.  You want to write a highly personalized note that talks about why you are interested in the company and the role and why you are the right candidate for the job.  Show your enthusiasm and make it specific. Try to avoid jargon and make it as personalized as possible.

This brings me to visibility.  When we talk about secrets, this is about all of the things you can do beyond the resume to get noticed and become visible.   In the application process employers are using video and other things like identity verification.  They are also looking at your LInkedIn and cross verifying information.  They want to make sure that you are not faking your identity and they want to get a full picture of who you are as a candidate.  That is why you are seeing more video questionnaires and other assessments being used earlier in the process.  These things can give you an advantage because the resume is limited in the story that you can tell about yourself at the first stage.  That is why you want to take advantage of every other tool you have to stand out and get visible.   You want to introduce yourself to recruiters as part of your resume.  So how do you do that?  You have probably heard of video bios and video intros or video resumes.   This is an important additional step to take that will help you stand out and be visible.  You can add this directly onto your resume and your cover letter with one link.  And the good news is that we have a tool that makes it easy to add the video intro, your LinkedIn profile and even references and an ID verification onto one link making it professional and easy for the hiring team to click on and meet you.  You can check this out at videobio.me 

Honestly, I would strongly recommend you use this in your initial outreach and follow up as well.  Include your video identity link with your messages so they can click on it and learn more about you.  It will make a strong impression and definitely help you be more visible.

The bottom line here is that you have to go beyond the resume because the resume is not enough.  You are competing with many other qualified candidates and employers are looking for stand-out candidates who ca take initiative and outside of the conventional process to get noticed.  If you demonstrate this initiative in the job application stage it says a lot about the kind of employee you would be.

So to summarize, you want to tailor every resume you submit to align with the job requirements and add a video intro to the resume and the cover letter where that is possible.  Remember a cover letter may just be an optional field on the application where you can add an introduction.  

Then, make sure you connect with the hiring team members that relate to the job you are applying to. This is an easy search for the hiring manager and other talent acquisition specialists or recruiters that work at that company.  You want to let them know that you applied for the job and you think you are the perfect candidate for the role.  Where possible try and get a few minutes of their time.  If the job is posted on LinkedIn it makes it even easier because the person who posted the job will be listed on the job application profile.

You can also try and connect with other employees at the company for an informational chat and see if you can get them to recommend you to the hiring team.  At minimum you will get an inside view of what it is like to work there.

It may seem like a lot of work but it is what is necessary to stand out and get noticed.

Ok, so that’s a wrap on applying for a job is an art!  Let’s carry on to lesson 3 “How to deal with uncertainty”