Author: Jim

Prepare a Good Application

Most job boards make it very easy to apply for a job on your smartphone. Many store your resume on their computers and all you have to do is click to apply for the job and attach your resume. Sounds great – right?  Well it’s not so great.  If you stop and think about it that approach forces you to send the same resume to most all employers.

Some job boards give you an option to store a small number of resumes so you can somewhat match your resume to the requirements of the job post. You’re going to spend your time applying for a lot of jobs without sending out a high-quality application that addresses the employer’s needs. I get many applications on my job board from people whose stated objective on their resume has nothing to do with the job they are applying for. Many times there is nothing in their experience or education to suggest they are qualified.  In this case, it’s very important to address this issue in a cover letter.

Working all day applying for a lot of  jobs might give you the satisfaction of working hard, but it’s not very productive time. The big job boards don’t care about you getting a job right away. Most get paid when you click on the job – it’s called pay per click, and so the more you click the more they charge employers.   This is a major reason why people have such poor response rates to the resumes they send out.

It’s a much better use of your time to use the job board search function to find the jobs that really match up with your resume and what you are looking for in a job.  Edit your resume so it addresses the requirements in the job description.  At a minimum make sure the objective on your resume states you are looking for a job like the one you are applying for.    Then write a cover letter that explains how your experiences address the requirements in the job posting.  

An application like this really stands out. It clearly demonstrates that you understand the job, your qualifications match what the job requires and you actually want the job because you spent some time doing a good application.

Good luck.

Please reply with your comments and questions or call me at
(608) 219-7238