Take Control of Your Job Search with This One Action

You are different. You stand out. So why stand in a line of hundreds of candidates when you're applying for a job you believe you're fully qualified for? The job application process is tedious, and most often, yields very unsuccessful results. But there is one action you can take to gain full control of your application for the job that you truly want: directly walk into the hiring company, with purpose!

Imagine you were the recruiter or hiring manager tasked with going through a hundred online applications to find the best candidates for your open position. No one, I mean NO ONE, wants to go through that many resumes. Then one day, a confident, well-presented candidate walks into your office with a resume, asking for an interview for that position. Wouldn't you be tempted to take a look at that candidate with the hope that he or she IS the one, and that if you hire him or her, you wouldn't have to go through all those resumes? Of course you would be tempted, and you probably would give that candidate a chance, too. BE THAT CANDIDATE! Take control of your job search by making yourself the candidate that recruiters and hiring managers cannot turn down!

I understand that this approach may not be feasible in some cases for obvious reasons like geography, strict security on premise, or lack of information on company location, etc. But I'm talking about very ideal situations where this is an option, like at smaller companies or companies that you already know a lot about. And if this is an option, then it's worth considering.

And I understand this approach can be very time consuming, and an inefficient use of time, if you're not successful. That's why you have to be absolutely sure that you are truly qualified for the job, and you are well prepared to face the decision maker when you do visit the company.

First, you have to be honest with yourself. Is this a job opportunity where you actually do stand out? Don't walk into a company if you're only going to easily get turned away. Aside from having enough experience and knowledge to perform the job, what edge do you have? What sets you apart? What is it about you that will make the hiring manager want to see you when you show up? Here are some areas to consider:

1. Your experience fits the job description like a glove, no doubt about it. From industry, to daily responsibilities, to technical knowledge, no one can argue or question your qualification. From what I've seen, most applicants never read the job descriptions, and more of them are unqualified for the jobs they applied for. If you truly believe you are qualified, then you already stand out. Convince whoever greets you of this, and they will help you get through.
2. Your positive energy is well received, and most people tend to be drawn to you when they are around you. Or you have a commanding presence. Or you're just very confident and you know you can get the hiring manager to give you a few minutes of their time. However you want to describe it, you just know that you can make the visit work in your favor.
3. You're attractive. People are more likely to accommodate to attractive people. It's not even a job thing.
4. You're perfectly presented for the job. You're like an ideal image of what someone in that position should look like. The hiring manager and recruiters already had you in mind when they were defining the role. This is a no brainer. Go for it!
5. You're a great communicator and are very persuasive. You're not concerned about the security guard, the gatekeeper, the excuses and objections that will be thrown at you to get you to leave, and apply online, because you are pretty confident that you can talk anybody into letting you through to the decision maker.

Even if you don't care for any of the above points about standing out, and you just want to cut ahead in line, then that's a good enough reason to visit the company where you hope to land your next job.

Sure, there are other ways to get in the door with a company, like through networking, introductions, referrals, etc., but you don't always know the right people at the right time. Between waiting in a long line of online applications, hoping to get that phone call, and taking actions to ensure you get seen by the decision maker, I'd think you should make the additional efforts to give yourself a chance to get that interview. Go for it!