You're Hired: Improving the Job Search Application Process, Pt. 1

As the economy begins to improve, the opportunities for job applicants should increase. It is however, still an employer’s market. While job candidates have complained about the lack of adequate job openings, many employers have lamented the dearth of qualified applicants for positions. The following are tips for job candidates to improve the job application process, and enable the right fit to occur for all parties involved.

Applicants

1) Only apply for positions for which you qualified- it is a waste of your time and that of recruiters if they have to review an application which does not meet the minimum qualifications. Since it is currently an employer’s market, they have the opportunity to be very selective. Therefore, if the position requires a bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of experience, make sure you fit those qualifications. Further, it may not be useful for you to apply to positions for which you are overqualified. Job search desperation can lead a lawyer to apply for a clerical position. Or a marketing manager to apply for a retail sales job. However, many employers will examine such an applicant cautiously, and may be reluctant to even grant you an interview. The reason that employers are loathe to hire overqualified candidates is their fear that once a position which better suits your skills and experience emerges, you will leave their company. Therefore, if you are applying to a position for which you seem overqualified, you must make the argument about why it is a potential good fit (e.g. you are a career changer) for both you and the prospective employer.

2) Have your resume reviewed by a professional before sending it- a poorly formatted resume or one filled with typographical errors is inexcusable and can severely damage your candidacy . It is imperative that you have a professional or a trusted confidant meticulously review the resume. If you are sending it via email, make sure that it is formatted as a .pdf document, so that the formatting remains intact.

3) Follow instructions- some candidates believe that more is better. Generally, the opposite is the case. A recruiter is not interested in reading more materials than necessary. Therefore, don’t send essays or transcripts unless asked. Also, make sure to send the application in the method requested (e.g. via email).

4) Meet deadlines- if the recruiter notes that the deadline is March 15th, do not send it in on March 17th with a note apologizing for its lateness. First impressions are critical, and since employers have plenty of applicants to review, you want to stand out for the right reasons, and missing deadlines is not one of them.

5) Be cognizant of salary requirements- some prospective employers will ask for salary requirements. You should be aware of the salary range of the position. Utilize your networking contacts to get a sense of the appropriate range. You can also use sites such as salary.com to explore the standard market range for a position. Your range should fit the employer’s range, with room for negotiation. Submitting salary requirements that are $15-20,000 above the range may automatically eliminate you from a candidate pool.

Next Blog Post: Tips for Employers