How to Get Noticed When You Apply for a Job Online
Searching for a job is scary. Especially when you’re looking for your first job straight out of college.
You have a diploma with your name written in fancy calligraphy that proves that you’re properly educated. You just need your shot.
The good news is that sites like Zip Recruiter, Monster, Indeed, and Career Builder make it easy to apply for dozens of jobs with a few key strokes and a mouse click.
But there’s a catch. Those sites are so easy that hundreds of people will likely apply for the same job which makes your competition stiff. It also makes it a challenge to stand out and get noticed.
So, you sit and wait for the phone to ring. Crickets. Meanwhile, Sallie Mae whispers, “You got six months, champ. Then I want my money for all those student loans. While we wait, let me rack up more interest.”
A low-grade panic sets in.
It’s one of the scariest times of life. I know. I’ve been there.
But there is a way — a spectacularly easy way — to virtually guarantee that you’ll get an interview. Best of all, virtually none of your competition will take this step. That means you’ll stand out.
A Spectacularly Easy Way to Be Considered First for Your Dream Job
Here’s what to do:
- Go to the company’s website and navigate to the “Contact Us” page.
- Click on the “Email Us” button or a fill out the contact form.
- In the Message field, type this: “Please forward this message to the hiring manager or the person who is interviewing applicants for the (INSERT THE POSITION YOU’RE APPLYING FOR).”
- Then write a personal note about why you’re interested in the position and include one or two specific details of why you believe you’re qualified for the job.
- Ask for the interview.
That’s it. Don’t be fooled by how simple it is. It works.
I want to strongly urge you not to simply copy and paste the same text from one application to the next. Customize each message to the position. It’s as important to sell a hiring manager on why you want this particular job as it is to sell them on your qualifications.
I shared this idea with the Human Resources Director of my company, a large media company with over 1,600 employees nationwide. This is what she said:
“Excellent advice! Very few people do it, though. I’m the person who receives those emails and I can tell you that just a handful of applicants take the time to reach out to us like that. Whenever I get one of those emails, I immediately forward it on to the hiring manager, and unless the message is riddled with typos or grammatical mistakes, I always include a note like, ‘This person took the initiative to reach out to me. Impressive. I strongly recommend that you consider them.’”
Need more proof that it works?
My daughter followed this advice in the first week of her job search and was called in for interviews with three different organizations. What’s more, she got an offer from the first company she interviewed with.
Of course, I can’t guarantee that you’ll land the job if you take this extra step. That hinges on a variety of factors. But I assure you that you will dramatically increase your chance of getting in the door and getting noticed by the person who needs you.
And remember, a prospective employer desperately hopes you are the right person for the job.
Make the effort. As the saying goes, there’s never a traffic jam on the extra mile.
If you found this helpful, I’ve written several other posts that might help you in your job search:
How to Write a Resume that Stands Out from the Rest
How to Write a Cover Letter that Will Land You an Interview
How to Ace the Most Important Question in a Job Interview
A Simple Trick to Make a Powerful Last Impression (this doesn’t deal specifically deal with the job search but the principle can be used to wow a prospective employer)
Once you land the job, be sure to read this How to Make Yourself Indispensable at Work.
If this was helpful, be sure to share this post with someone who’s in the thick of the job search.
