Okay, I know I said that real recruiters don’t post jobs. I really don’t think it is an effective recruiting strategy, but the fact is that many companies and search firms do post their jobs on their websites and other sites. Unfortunately, a lot of people that want the job, but are not qualified, will apply and that will create a huge pile of resumes for the recruiter to screen. This is why recruiters typically spend less than 10 seconds visually scanning your resume, if they look at it at all. Sometimes, the resumes go into an automated system where they are scanned for keywords and routed (or NOT) to a recruiter along with hundreds of other resumes.
So what do you do if you are a candidate and you find a job posted on line that you think is just perfect for you? Here are a few tips for avoiding the RESUME BLACK HOLE :
- Make sure that there are NO TYPOS in your resume or cover letter. Recruiters faced with a huge pile of resumes are looking for a reason to reject them, and nothing gets you into the trash pile faster than a typo!
- Check to see if any of your friends or contacts works at this company and ask them to introduce you. Most big companies have employee referral programs, so your friends or contacts might even benefit from helping you.
- Check your LinkedIn connections to see if anyone in your expanded network works at the company that you are interested in. Ask your connections to forward your resume along to the HIRING MANAGER. If they send it to to a recruiter, it may end up in the BLACK HOLE again.
- Send a customized cover letter in the body of the email whether you are applying on line or through a friend. (Click here for tips on writing great cover letters.)
- Follow up with a phone call to the hiring manager. You probably won’t find the hiring manager’s name on the posting, but your contact may be able to provide the name. Or, just do some simple detective work. Call the company and ask for the person by title. For example, if you are applying for a staff accountant job, call and ask for the name of the Chief Financial Officer or the Controller. You will probably get their voicemail or their assistant, but just leave a brief message expressing your interest and letting them know that you have applied. That will certainly make you stand out from the rest of the applicants!
All of these tips require a little more effort on your part – but that is the point! Don’t waste your time sending out hundreds of resumes that land in the BLACK HOLE. You might feel like you have accomplished something, but eventually you will be asking, “Why doesn’t anyone call me back?????”. Then you will blame the economy and you will convince yourself that no one is hiring.
Well, I am here to tell you that companies ARE hiring. Somebody is going to get that job, so why shouldn’t it be you? Focus on the opportunities that you are really interested in and GO AFTER THEM!
