Often, job seekers simply apply online and hopefully wait for a response. But the hard truth is that only the 2% of the best candidates go to the interview.
There are several proven ways to dramatically improve your chances of getting an interview when you apply online.
Contact the hiring manager.
Find the hiring manager and send that person an exceptional CV and cover letter. Your goal is simply to let them know that you have applied and to share your documents. Don’t call or harass, just inform.
To do this, determine the person’s title and find them on LinkedIn. If you are looking for an operations manager position, the hiring manager will likely be the vice president of operations. Find that title in the company you are applying to and write down the person’s name.
Then find that person’s email address. Don’t connect with them or send them a message on LinkedIn; this will make them feel like “spam” and they may think negatively of you. Instead, use a service like hunter.io or ZoomInfo to find the hiring manager’s email.
Once you’ve submitted your information, let it go. Don’t email a second time and don’t call unless they call you first. Go under the radar and let them know you’ve applied for the job.
Use an employee reference.
If your first tendency is to apply quickly for a job that you have found online, you are wrong. First, find an internal referral partner and contact that person before applying.
Recruiters are successful with internal candidates and also with candidates who have been referred by an internal candidate. From an article on CareerPivot.com, if you apply and an employee referred you for the job, you have a 50% chance of getting an interview and a 20% chance of getting hired. Plus, if you don’t have an employee recommendation, you have a 3% chance of getting an interview and only a 2% chance of getting hired.
Finding an internal referral partner is not as difficult as you might think. Make a list of target companies you would like to work in and start making connections with people inside. You can do this by logging into LinkedIn and even attending association conferences and networking events.
Improve your career marketing materials.
Many job seekers have had stagnant job searches for six months or more and then quickly landed a job after a rewrite of their CV and LinkedIn profile. You need to stand out in print and online if you want recruiters and hiring managers to reach you.
Use modern formats with colors, lines, and plenty of white space to make your resume stand out and be visually appealing. Include a title (your target job), branding section and key skills at the top of the first page. Quantify and highlight accomplishments to sizzle your statements of success at work.
A CV should read like a marketing piece that sells you, not a history of everything you’ve done. It should be succinct, like a highlight reel, and ideally two pages. If it’s too wordy or too long, it won’t be easily skimmed off and you will be ignored. Finally, proofread tirelessly to make sure you don’t get any typos.
By updating your CV and LinkedIn profile, you can study the latest trends and invest the time to do it yourself. You’ll want to make sure the resume is optimized to communicate your value to the hiring manager and compatible with Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software. Avoid using templates, as ATS software often has difficulty reading inside text boxes and incorrectly processes information in tables.
You may also be wondering if a professional writer might be right for you. As with any service, be sure to double check your writer by looking for certifications and stellar reviews. Ask for samples, ask if the person you’re talking to writes the resume, and determine if they write for you or if they expect you to fill out 10-page forms.
A LinkedIn profile should tell your story convincingly, but should also contain the right keywords to attract recruiters and hiring managers. The summary should be written in the first person and you will need a professional looking photo. Complete and activate the “Career Interests” section under the Jobs tab.
In summary, you will greatly improve your chances of having a response after applying for a job if you use referral partners and contact the hiring manager directly. It’s worth updating your CV and LinkedIn profile to stand out from the competition. Trends in resume writing change often, so be sure to research the latest techniques.
