Are You Applying For Jobs The Right Way? 5 Job Search Facts To Help You

By Michelle Wanjiku

Are you actively looking for a job? How many jobs have you applied for in the past month?

It can get very frustrating when you apply for jobs and never hear back from any of the companies. However, it could be because you are not applying for jobs the right way.

So many people apply for jobs every day and if you want to stand out from all of them and get the job then you need to reconsider how you apply for jobs.

Here are some insider job search facts to help you apply for jobs properly

1. Most jobs are a secret

The truth is not all jobs are advertised, some positions are filled without having to make the vacancy public.

This means just looking for jobs online is not enough, don’t just apply for jobs you see, go out of your way to find jobs that haven’t been advertised.

To get to know of unadvertised vacancies you need to cultivate a good network. Reach out to people in your network and let them know that you are looking for a job, that way if they come across a vacancy they can forward it to you.

2. Hundreds of people are applying for the same job

You are not the only one applying for that job; in fact, some advertised jobs receive over 200 applications.

This means that if you want to get noticed your application has to stand out. Generic applications will not get you an interview.

You need to ensure that every application you send out will stand out from the numerous other applications. It needs to attract the recruiter in a good way, so ensure that you tailor all your applications to the job you are applying for.

Remember, employers receive a lot of applications and they cannot go through all of them, so for yours to stand out it needs to grab their attention.

3. Recruiters don’t read your CV

As established, recruiters receive hundreds of applications for each job and they have a time limit for filling every position. Meaning they can’t thoroughly go through every CV.

However, they always have a list of the most important requirements that they are looking for and that is why the first do a quick scan to determine which CVs are worth looking at.

This is why if your CV doesn’t have the necessary keywords, you may never get shortlisted for the position. So, you need to make it as user-friendly as possible. Include relevant experience; keep it as short as possible and ensure there are no grammatical errors.

4. Knowing someone on the inside can get you hired

You are more likely you get the job if someone working in the company recommends you for the position. This is because when you are recommended for a position, then your application will get looked at and if you are what the employer is looking for then you will get an interview.

Having someone put in a good word for you will give you a serious leg up on the competition. This doesn’t mean that you will get every job you are recommended for and any good employer will focus on your skills as opposed to who you know.

Just knowing someone isn’t enough to get you the job, you need to have what the company is looking for as well.

5. Filling a position takes time

I know as a job seeker you want to get feedback on positions you apply for instantly however, this isn’t always possible and that is because different companies have different hiring processes.

For example, the hiring process in a small company might be faster than that of a big organization. This is because in the latter various people have to be on board with any hiring.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t make a follow up just ensure that you do it respectfully because you never know why there is a delay.

In Conclusion,

Looking for a job can be very discouraging especially if your efforts are not bearing any fruits. However, you shouldn’t lose hope and when done correctly job hunting can be less stressful.