5 things to STOP doing if you are a Job applicant…
After scanning through thousand of applications and sending out responses to some, i noticed quite a number of things applicants do wrong that largely hinders their chances of fast landing employment and i decided to quickly pen down 5 of the most obvious hoping it helps someone.
1. Not regularly checking or responding to mails: It’s amazing how you see a job advert, then make up your mind to apply for it only to go on for days or even weeks without checking your mail to know if you have gotten a response. I would expect that when you send out an applicant, it means you are expecting a response to the application you sent, if not, then why apply? … I understand that hopes may have been dashed in times past but you must never stop believing the next one you send may be the one, because it only takes one opportunity (mail) for your story to change and you never know which or when it will be, So stay Expectant… What’s even ironic is that alot of people can’t go 3hrs without going on social media, but they don’t apply the same tenacity towards checking their mails.
Just a little tip, Check your Spam every time you check your inbox, some very important mails make their way in there and you may be unaware. Thank me later!!
2. Sending CVs without properly addressing them: So another thing I see while going through applications is, some people attach ONLY their CVs without a subject to the mail, or even a written body, simple an ATTACHMENT… Like this is a NO-NO. So let me paint you a scenario, imagine someone hands you a document without a greeting or a word to you, all they do is simply hand you the document and leave. Tell me, what will be your 1st impression about the person? i am certain you will consider the person rude or even strange right? Now this is the exact same impression you are communicating even in the digital space, and for a job applicant, that is an impression you don’t want to leave on your prospective employers.
3. Applying for Every Position or Job vacancy advert you come across: Some people are looking for any and everything, as far as it a vacancy slot, they will apply. When they see vacancy for Inventory Officer, they will apply, when they see a slot for customer care, they will apply, then another for social media manager, they will still go ahead and apply… Pleaseeeee this jack of all trade, master of none syndrome has got to stop. You have no business applying for a job that you have no relevant experience for, it makes you look like an unserious or unprofessional individual who is desperate for anything. My advice is, build competency in a chosen area of profession and only apply for jobs or related jobs around that skillset. You actually stand a better chance of getting those type of jobs rather than waste time sending applications everywhere and not getting any response… Be more Strategic!!
4. No Cover Letter: Not attaching a cover letter with your applications is not a habit I encourage for applicants. Infact I always advice candidates at the academy to attach a cover letter with their resumes even if it wasn’t requested for by employers, it sends a signal to your prospective employer that you are willing to go an extra mile on any task that you may be assigned in their organization if they employ you and also it connotes that you are serious about getting the job.
Just a little tip though: When writing your cover letter, Sell yourself well, let the employer know the value they will be deriving by having you as a member of their team.
5. Failing to Proof read Application: Trust me failing to proofread your applications before sending out is one of the biggest reasons why a lot of people are not employed till now… Leave no room for errors as a job applicant because like I implied earlier in this article, your application is an opportunity to leave a good 1st impression. Grammatically errors can be corrected now so effortlessly by applications like Gammarly, or even the spell check feature on Microsoft word, but by all means CHECK, CHECK and CHECK well before sending out any application.
Not checking your applications makes you appear as one who doesn’t pay attention to details, unlearned and too hasty in making decisions, and not organization would want to take a chance on that.
Bonus…. Stop attaching CVs you used your phones to snap….. Get a Digital Copy of your CV on Microsoft Word Format so you can adjust them whenever and send from your phone
Hope you find this useful, if you do, its time to do better!!