Over the past couple decades, the way that people communicate with each other has changed drastically. Not only have text messages become more popular than phone calls, but email has lost popularity.
I’ve sent a huge amount of applications, but no interviews… what can I do?
I’ve sent a huge amount of applications, but no interviews… what can I do?
I’ve sent a huge amount of applications, but no interviews… what can I do?
by Karin Schroeck-Singh 27/06/2018
Writing and sending a CV and cover letter to an employer is the standard approach of most jobseekers. However, nowadays smart job candidates apply a more creative and diverse job search strategy when going on a job hunt. Having a strong CV and cover letter is crucial, but it’s only a part of the puzzle.
Nowadays competition is tough, and whether you realise it or not, but it’s up to you how you land your next great job. So why do you keep asking yourself “Why am I not getting interviews?”? Let me give you some advice:
1) When writing your CV and cover letter based on a job ad, research the company and the job role thoroughly. Whatever information you come across, use it to your advantage and show in your application that you are knowledgeable about the company/position, etc. Make sure your job application does not sound like a standard application. Make an effort to customise it to the company. Repeat relevant words that were mentioned in the job ad and elaborate on them a bit further by emphasising your education, skills and experiences that are relevant for that particular job.
2) Find out the name of the person who gets to read your CV and cover letter and address that person by name. Everyone loves to be addressed by name, isn’t it? But ensure that you write it correctly. Take few seconds and double-check. When I was recruiting candidates in the past, the ones who got my name wrong landed on the rejection pile. Why? Because it showed me straight away that they don’t pay attention to detail.
3) When applying to the best firms to work for, use positive language in your CV. Tell the employer that you feel EXCITED about the role. When writing your salutation at the end, don’t just write “Kind regards” like everyone else…. be more positive, enthusiastic and passionate. I always write in my business proposals before mentioning my name “Enthusiastically”. My clients love it!
4) This could be your secret weapon… add something to your application that shows your employer that you already see yourself working there. Demonstrate in different ways that you already did more than any other candidate. Go the extra mile. As a former candidate I had my own very creative strategies on how to stand out from the crowd. Let me reveal two of those strategies.
a) If the job is local, go there and take a picture in front of the company and attach it to your application. It shows the employer that you can see yourself already working there. But also, that you wanted to figure out where the company is (and how far it would be from your home). Knowing already where the company is located would also save you time on the day of your interview.
b) Provide potential employers with something concrete that shows your skills and what they can expect from you in the future.
For example, if you are applying for a job as a Content Manager (add a FREE article about an interesting industry-specific topic that they can publish on their blog).
If you are applying for a job as a Translator, provide them with a FREE translation of a certain document (excerpt from their website, a blog article, a document etc.)
If you are applying for a job as a Marketing Manager provide them with a written marketing plan that includes some creative customised ideas on how they can gain more business. If you want to impress even more, turn your short marketing plan into a video.
If you are applying for a job as a Web Designer, show them already a template on how the corporate website could look like. Show that you already thought about how you can benefit the company. I promise you, your chances will increase dramatically!
5) Attending industry-specific fairs and conferences would be another way of getting in touch with people working in your preferred company/industry. This could happen at a time when the company is not actively recruiting. By engaging in a conversation with the company’s employees could help you to get noticed. Why not also ask the HR-person what their most frequently asked interview questions are when interviewing candidates? Later on, this could potentially lead to employment if you keep in touch with them and show them how you can add real value to the company.
6) Interact with the company on social media. Follow them on several social media platforms. Read the content they are publishing, comment on their blog posts, retweet what you find particularly useful, forward them articles or other relevant tips that would be interesting for them to know. Or introduce them to someone who could be valuable in their network. Buy their products or services and share your feedback with them. The more often you interact with the company and its staff, the more you will get noticed. And when the time comes to hire, guess who will come FIRST to their mind? YOU obviously! Getting an interview when they already know you, will be so much easier than being an unknown candidate, believe me!
Last but not least, start looking at rejection letters in a different way… a NO means that that company is NOT the right place for you and something better will soon come up for you. Genuinely believe in it, visualise it in the most vivid colours and pray for it (yes!). Things will start changing with a bit of patience and belief. Once you get the opportunity for an interview, prepare for typical interview questions and answers as best as you can. Go out there and get the job you really deserve and which makes you happy 😊
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