Effective Tip for Job Seekers

Question: How do I know that my resume is being seen by the right person?

Answer: You don’t – but here is a tip that can at least help

I talk to candidates every day. Many of the people I speak with are not “actively” pursuing new positions, but this year has been different and I’ve chatted with a lot of people who are getting frustrated with their job search.

The most common complaint I hear is that a candidate sent their resume to a job posting and never heard anything back from the company. They wonder, “Did anyone even see my resume?” This tip helps address this compliant and it isn’t a panacea, catch all, work 100% of the time type of thing, but it can be helpful when done correctly.

How to increase the chances of your resume being viewed:

When you come across a job posting that you’re interested in, submit your resume for the position... This is where most people stop - they apply and cross their fingers.

Once your resume has been submitted it enters the “black hole.” It could be getting screened by an algorithm that is scanning for certain keywords. It could be sent directly to talent acquisition or HR who have been told high level detail of what to look for before passing it on - they are also often recruiting for multiple positions simultaneously. It could be totally missed by user error and go unseen. Best case scenario, it goes straight to the hiring manager.

Instead of stopping after you apply online, go one step further. Log onto LinkedIn and try to find the person that the role would report to. This is easier with smaller companies, but with larger organizations you’re usually applying to a specific team.

For example: if you’re applying for a Senior Accountant job, that will typically report to an Accounting Manager or a Controller. If you’re applying for a Controller role (depending on company size) that could report to a CFO, Finance Director, or President/CEO.

Once you find who the role likely reports to, send a connection request to that person via LinkedIn. Most people will add a connection if they see that you’re in a similar space as them. Once they accept your connection request, LinkedIn allows you to send them a direct message and include an attachment.

This is where you’re able to differentiate yourself. Send the hiring manager a brief note letting them know that you applied to their online posting and that you’re interested in the role. Explain (briefly) what value you feel you could add drawing parallels between your experience and their job description then, attach your resume and hit send. It's important to keep your message succinct and to highlight why you'd be the best person for the job.

I want to stress again that this isn’t guaranteed to get you an interview, but in theory, it gets your resume in front the best possible person. A lot of people feel like they've tried everything, but this is something that I don't hear of many people doing. Hopefully, this is can be another helpful tool in your job search toolbelt.

Good luck with your job search! Thanks for reading.

Matt Hugdahl - SkyWater Search Partners.