Do I Have To ??? Yes You Do!!!

How To Customise Each Job Application

With every job application, you will need to edit the Resume and Cover Letter to suit the Advertisement. Groan, groan, grumble, grumble. I geddit. It’s not fun.

But remember the good old days when you would receive an email from a friend that started off with, “Dear All…” Maybe I’m beginning to show my age with that one.

Another example: What about the time you found out a good friend was in town but you found out through Facebook and they hadn’t bothered to send you a personal text or make a phone call? Maybe I’m showing my age with that one too.

But whatever the scenario, you understand where I’m coming from right? Well, potential employers want to feel special too. More importantly, when you direct a Job Application to them in which you have painstakingly taken the time to address them by name, company and their own set of values,  with the care you have shown in your application you can show them YOU are the one for the job; that you’ve got what it takes to complete a job in great detail, with great care and with top-notch precision.

What’s more, in this day and age of constant typoes (I mean typos)(I mean typographical errors) you can stand out by miles just by having correct English, grammar and punctuation on your documents. And we ALL want to stand out, right? We want to be remembered, especially when we are job searching!

 

So here are a few succinct points for you to follow when you are personalising each job application for each potential employer:

Resume

(a) List your Skills in order of what THEY are looking for

(b) List your Job History in order of what THEY are looking for

(b) List your Key Responsibilities under each Job History in order of what THEY are looking for

Cover Letter

(a) Choose 3-4 main points that THEY are looking for (if no Selection Criteria)

(b) Write 4 main paragraphs to address these points

(c) Include examples and throw in numbers – any numbers – numbers are magic! Numbers create pictures in peoples’ heads and are MUCH easier to read in an instant than words.

Also, always check out THEIR website. When you do, you will discover THEIR Company Values and you can weave some of the same words they use into your Cover Letter (eg: they might wave the banner of “care of community and environment” so you can throw those words into your letter also). So you can do the same with each company that you are applying for.

Of course, if you don’t care about the care of community and environment, don’t be unauthentic in your Cover Letter either because it’s not about that. There might be other Company Values that match what you are passionate about and you can add THOSE words into your Cover Letter.

Remember that it pays (quite literally!) to take the time on your job applications. It might seem like the least important thing for you to spend your time on, amidst the busy chaos of life. But just like you need to learn the road rules before getting your license, you also need to learn the little tricks required before getting your foot inside the interviewer’s door. It’s all about speaking their language!

I hope that this is of help and value to you. If it has been, please feel free to Share this blog article with your family and friends.

If you would like a Template for writing your Cover Letter, please Contact Me to request and I will gladly send it through to you as a #FREEBIE.