Tips on How to know if you should apply for a Job
Today applying for jobs has become as easy as clicking your mouse. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should do it every time you see a job you want. Just because you would love to do that job or believe you can do it shouldn’t compel you to apply. So how do you determine when you should and shouldn’t apply to a job posting?
Consider this....recruiters pour through hundreds of resumes a day. As a seasoned recruiter, I can attest that on average only 10% of applicants actually meet the minimum qualifications for the job they are applying for. That means that I have to review 100 resumes just to identify 10 potential candidates. What qualifies you as a potential candidate? You must meet the “requirements”, education, and experience listed on the job description.
Review the Job Description
Recruiters aim to find candidates that meet “most” of the qualifications and requirements for a role. Managers aren’t always flexible on what those requirements are. You can easily identify the requirements for a job by reviewing the job description. More often than not the entire job description gets posted with a section entitled “Requirements”. Regardless of where you find a job posting you have access to the entire job description. Take the time to read the entire posting before clicking “Apply”. Then only apply for jobs that you meet at least 60% of the requirements. Why 60%? Because job descriptions are hiring managers wish lists. In other words, if they strive to have their cake and eat it too, the “perfect” candidate is one that meets 100% of what they’re looking for. How often do you think we find the “perfect” candidate? Not often.
Use Keywords
Besides meeting the requirements of a job we search for candidates that have the same keywords that appear in the job description. This includes titles and skills. For example; if I’m seeking a news producer keywords that are likely to appear on the job description include: News, Producer, Writer, and Editing. I will look for these words to be on resumes I’m reviewing. Keep in mind that companies will have different definitions for skills and titles. The word Editing can refer to Copy Editing or Video Editing depending on the company. A Producer’s responsibilities can also vary greatly from one company to another. So, although you should never change the title that was given to you by your employer, it’s perfectly acceptable to add or change keywords on your resume to match a job description, provided you legitimately have that skill.
Determine how much Training you’ll Require
Managers often prefer candidates that require the least amount of training. Training takes time and resources that aren’t always available. Companies need to meet business goals, in order to achieve that, managers need to stay productive. Taking time and resources to get a new employee up and running means less productivity. Even if you meet 100% of the qualifications, you’ll still need to be trained on in-house systems and programs that may be specific to a company. The more you meet those qualifications the sooner you will become a contributing member of the team. Ask yourself how much of the responsibilities listed, have you done before or feel comfortable performing without someone guiding you through it. It can take 3 to 6 months for a new hire to get up to speed and become productive.
Identify the number of Years of Experience
This is a big one. Look for how many years of related experience the role requires. If you’re a Manager who has 5 years of experience you shouldn’t apply to Coordinator roles that require 2 years of experience. Nor should you be applying for Vice President roles that require 10 years of experience. Look for jobs that match the number of years of experience you have. Entry level jobs usually require between 1 and 3 years of experience. Manager level jobs usually require between 5 and 8 years of experience. Director and above roles usually require 10+ years of experience. Don’t apply for roles that you do not meet the number of years of experience required. It’s ok to be a year or so off but not more than that.
Look for Industries related to your Background
Hiring Managers will rarely consider candidates coming from a different industry. It’s a tough sell, even if you possess transferable skills. You must go through a different route if you’re looking to change industries. It goes back to how much training will the employee require if they also need to be trained in the business. If you’re applying for a job in Digital Marketing and your background is in Car Sales you’re not likely to be chosen for a job interview.
By using the same criteria recruiters use to identify qualified candidates and applying only for jobs you meet the qualifications for you can increase your chances of landing interviews. Keep in mind that when we don’t see relevant keywords, years of experience, titles and industry on a resume, we hit the “next” arrow.
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