Think twice before applying :)

When I was a child, my mother always told me that I could be anything that I wanted to be. Of course, I wanted to be a princess, however as I learned a thing or two about the world and the job market, I realised that this was a LIE.

Most people think they can be anything in the world… high hopes I guess, maybe it’s a confidence thing, which is a good thing, but I mean really, a Mechanic applying for a Strategist position with a top Digital agency? It will be quite difficult for me to think of a reason to put you forward to the client…

I will be mentioning a few things that could get you that interview, but we really need to start thinking more realistically. Firstly, in addition to showcasing your background, experience, and education, your CV can demonstrate your attention to detail and even your intelligence. I’ve seen plenty of CVs with spelling mistakes, typos, missing information, or hard-to-follow formats.

Be sure that all your talents are clearly listed on your CV. Repeat and highlight, in your cover letter, the ones that relate particularly to the role. If a recruiter has to explain to clients how exactly you would fit into their job opening, he is probably not seeing the kind of enthusiasm that he can’t wait to tell you about and this is the opposite of what you want to get out of an application.

Many employers have specific requirements for the degrees, skills, and certifications they want in new hires, usually spelled out in the formal job description. Yet, in some resumes, the relevant information is buried or not mentioned at all and in most cases, not part of their experience.

Below, I will be going into a couple of examples – some case studies that have actually crossed my path:

So you’re on bizcommunity one day, you notice your dream job as a Senior Digital Strategist at a trendy Cannes Lion-winning agency, and of course you try your luck, as a 22-year-old graduate with a year’s experience as an intern, and apply for the job. This may come as a surprise to you, but inevitably, you won’t get the job, or even manage to get the recruiter to forward the CV to the relevant clients.

From another perspective, another common situation is when a e.g. Truck Drivers applies for a Business Unit Director role – naturally, their application won’t be considered by an recruiter or company offering the position.

In a final instance, we get applications from qualified candidates, who apply for positions in a slightly different direction, but don’t evaluate whether the role in question is right for their long term career trajectory. If an Account Manager moves into a Project Management role without any client-facing exposure, it may be difficult for them to move into a more senior Account Director role, which may have been their plan all along, even though these two positions are closely aligned. The next thing these candidates know after accepting this role is that this was a mistake and they can either not fulfil the job requirements, or don’t want to.

So, if you aren’t getting called back by a recruiter after sending your details through, there’s a good chance that, in addition to the fact you didn’t have the right skills, you might also have displayed one or more traits on the “I can’t market them” list.

If you’re serious about your career, take ownership of your CV, your experience, and give a good hard look at where you realistically see yourself, and where you SHOULD be.

Good luck and hopefully, in the future, I can find you that dream job you have always wanted.