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Job applicants - take note (please!)
| Guest post by: Lawrence Atkinson |
Article Overview: I see many different job applications, as you would expect, however the ones that grab my attention, and therefore go the top of the stack, have all the right elements. What are they? Read on...
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Free Download - Risk Management for Law Firms By Lawrence Atkinson |
Job applicants - take note (please!)
As a former business manager and now recruitment specialist, I am constantly surprised by the total lack of care many job applicants apply to their résumés, CVs and covering letters.
Candidates do not seem to realise that the old adage "You never get a second chance to make a first impression" applies just as much to the written word as it does to your personal appearance.
When posting a job advertisement, I always ask applicants for a covering letter. Why is that? The answer is really simple: to find out what the applicant's attention to detail is like, and how well they respond to the requirements of the role I am seeking to fill. You would be amazed that, having asked for one, over 50% of applicants still do not bother to supply one - sorry folks, automatic delete.
These days it is easy to have a résumé or CV created by a professional service provider, putting in all the details of previous employment, education, career highlights and so on. You would expect, therefore, that that document would be "word perfect." However a covering letter provides the applicant with an opportunity to provide the reader with details of why they should be considered over and above other applicants, what they can bring to the position, how they might do that and many other "positives" that would make this person worth considering. In some instances it can be more important than the CV. In most instances, it also means the applicant has to write it themselves, and that is where many of them come unstuck.
Recently, on behalf of a client, I advertised for an "Administrator/Receptionist." Along with other criteria for the role, good attention to detail was listed. I advertised on the most popular job listing website and, as per normal, asked for a covering letter "explaining why this is the right role for you." Without identifying anyone, and changing only names where necessary, here are some verbatim examples of what I received either in the covering letter, or in the accompanying email. Also note that I am a stickler for correct spelling and grammar.
- Hello i seen your ad on seek that you have a receptionist position available. I attatched my resume.
- Re: Administration Asstiant
- I would like to apply for a position as junior assistant as ...
- APPLICATION FOR Customer Service Consultant
- ... my job application for the Receptionist/Officer Junior ...
- Attention - Joe Bloggs (name changed),People2people,Re: Application for Trainee Recruitment Consultant position,Dear Mr Joe Bloggs (name changed)
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Article Tags: job applicants, job applications, top of the stack
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About the Author: Lawrence Atkinson RSS for Lawrence's articles - Visit Lawrence's website Lawrence is the Principal of Lawrence Atkinson Career Management Services, and Lawrence Atkinson Practice Management Services. Click here to visit Lawrence's website   Job applicants take note please Sales Lesson 1 Get Noticed Part Five Prospecting for More Sales Competitive legal landscape to change forever Part Two Prospecting for More Sales |
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Is chatting with your website visitors worth it?
- I recently came across a few software programs that let you chat with people who visit your website. Basically you can type a message and your website visitor will see a pop-up with your note and they can respond.
It can be along the lines of "Hi, I'm glad you found my website. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Alternatively you can just have a note on the site of your page that allows people to ask questions via a chat system.
Has anyone used chat effectively on their websites? Is it worth it?
Re: Should you hire ambitious workers or employees with no goals
- [quote="TannyL":2jm9xvii]I don't know if ambitious worker are more smarter, but they have more energy and they work better.
He is right, because of their ambition they probably ask for more money, but I rather pay a few more dollars and have the work done on the best terms then mediocre job or maybe no job at all.[/quote:2jm9xvii]
The reason I say that ambitious workers are typically "smarter" is because these kind of people are constantly taking action (e.g. reading new books, taking courses, networking with the right people, etc.) to improve themselves and reach higher plateaus.
On the other hand, employees who don't have lofty goals and are more willing to "settle" for the status quo or whatever destiny hands them... usually only see work as a means to earn a living.
A lot of companies today will not only discriminate against applicants who are under qualified, but also those who are "overqualified" and appear too ambitious. Some businesses fear "ambitious" candidates may simply become bored in their job role and leave.
Re: Forum Upgrade
- [quote="Evan":3gsq6qox]Hi Kevin - thanks for the suggestion. We'll have to take a look to see how that is possible in the phpbb3 template code - can you add it in the proper priority to the list we've created?
Barbara - so far the feedback is mixed about the forum posts loading in a new window so we'll continue to keep our ears open for additional thoughts on this one. On your other note, I can copy and paste the text quite easily in firefox - what browser are you using?[/quote:3gsq6qox]
Hi Evan,
I've just added that item to the priority list.
On a side note, I use IE and I'm able to copy and paste text from the forums just fine.
ebook page blank
- Thank you for the note ideasuniversity! I will look into it!
Re: FAVVIO.COM Watch Movies Online For Free Full Movie Downloads
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Please take note that this is a spam
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