Last week I placed an advert and within three minutes our first application landed. Three minutes! For a moment I was impressed. Then I picked up the phone.
The candidate had no idea what the role was. Not the company, not the location and not even the job title. It quickly became clear that the application had been sent automatically, without a person ever reading the advert.
I understand the pressure. Job searching can feel like a numbers game, and there are tools that promise to send hundreds of applications while you sleep. But here is what happens on our side of the desk. A recruiter calls you, excited to learn more, and the conversation ends in thirty seconds. That first impression is hard to undo, and it can follow you to the next role that genuinely suits you.
So please be selective. Applying for ten roles you understand will serve you far better than applying for a hundred you have never read.
Before you hit apply:
- Read the whole advert. Ask yourself honestly whether you can do this job and whether you actually want it. If you cannot explain why in a sentence or two, pause.
- Keep a record of every application. Note the job title, company, location and date. When a recruiter calls, you will sound prepared rather than puzzled.
- Tailor your CV. A few thoughtful changes that bring your most relevant experience to the top show you have paid attention to this role, not just any role.
- Do a little homework on the company. Five minutes on their website tells you what they do and helps you explain why you would like to work there.
- Be ready for the call. Good recruiters often phone quickly. Know why the role interests you, what you would bring to it and when you could start.
Using technology to help you write or organise is perfectly sensible. Just make sure the person behind the application is still you, and that you know what you are applying for and why.
The best applications are not the fastest. They are the ones that make us want to pick up the phone and keep talking.
