11 ways to stand out in a job application

We recently advertised for a content marketing intern. We had over 100 applications in 1 week, some great ones some not so great. The main surprise for me was how few people made a strong effort to make their application stand out.

In this post I’ll run through 11 ideas to do that based on how I, as someone employing someone, looks at job applications. Of course everyone is different and others may not look for these things. These tips will be useful if you ever want to work for me or anyone like me.

1. Get someone else to send the application for you

As someone who is looking through 100 applications, I’m dying to find some sort of ‘proof’. Everyone can say they are awesome but where is the proof? Just like on a website you would fill it with trust elements and social proof, you should do the same with a job application.

There is no stronger proof than social proof, so here’s an idea. How about instead of you sending in the application you get someone who knows me to send it?

It can’t be too hard to work this out, check out my site look at who comments, look at who I mention on my posts or my podcast. Google ‘Dan Norris interview’ you’ll find pages and pages of sites that I have appeared on. You can assume these guys know me. Is there anyone in that list that you know? If so ask them to help.

A second option is sending it from someone with a bit of authority who I don’t know. I’m still going to recognize the name and it will make your application stand out.

Make the subject “Hire X before I do!”.

2. Include a picture and make sure your social pictures aren’t silly

This might seem like an old school thing to do. Call me old school. Thanks to Rapportive and Google bio pics, if you have a silly profile picture on any of your social accounts I will see it when you email me. I will assume that you are silly and I won’t employ you.

That aside, pro photos add a lot of credibility full stop. I don’t care what you look like. But I do care about effort and I am not immune to noticing pictures of people. Any application with a good quality picture of someone will stand out when compared with a plain text application.

3. Use flattery but don’t overuse it

I got some applications that made me feel like they had no idea who I was. That’s fine in itself although for this position, it’s probably important that you have some idea of our content. And since I write most of it, I would expect you’d have some idea of who I was.

I got other applications that had so much flattery in them I felt a bit ill.

There is a fine balance. There’s no harm in saying something nice. Again I’m not immune to basic human emotions and I like it when people say nice things about me.

4. Use audio or video

A lot of the tips in here have to do with learning about the person who is doing the employing (and not thinking as much about yourself).

If you know me, or you asked someone about me, or you read some of my content, you will know I don’t read much. Or at the very least you’ll know I prefer podcasts.

Out of the 100+ applications I got, only 2 or 3 included audio or video. Why? I had to review 100+ applications in one week, for someone who can barely read a menu, that’s not physically possible. Why not create a podcast, or send me an audio file or do a video?

I didn’t read every email, or every attachment. But I did watch every video that was sent to me. And 1 out of those 3 is currently working with me.

Even if it’s not me doing the recruiting, I suspect if you go to the trouble of creating a video specifically for the person recruiting, their own self interest will force them to check it out.

5. Show understanding of the person making the decision

This isn’t so much about knowing the person, but understanding what they want. I had a few applications that said something along the lines of “I’m really looking forward to working with you, I think I could learn so much from you”. That is great, and for this job it’s definitely part of the deal. However when someone recruits a position, you need to consider what their major emotions and drivers will be:

1. They will be predominantly interested in working less on the task they are recruiting for. If you can convince them they can work less on that task, then you will make them happy.
2. They are probably fearful that they will choose the wrong person. If you can reduce that risk somehow it’s a good idea. Working for free or doing a test project is one way to do it, but use your imagination.
3. They will be bored. They have read through 100 resumes and it sucks. Maybe you can make them smile or laugh?

Think about what else they might be feeling. It will differ for every person and every position.

6. Deliver some value

Again I had the full spectrum on this one. I had some people send me pages of ideas of how we could improve WP Curve. That is OK, however again you have to think like me. If you send me ideas on how to solve problems I don’t have, it won’t get you anywhere.

A few ideas on how you can add value in the position, is definitely a good idea.

7. Call

Out of the 100+ applicants, a total of 0 called. My number isn’t that hard to find.

• If you Google ‘Dan Norris mobile’ it shows you right in Google.
• If you Google ‘Dan Norris’ this page ranks 3rd and it lists my mobile number and my Skype account.
• Anyone who has ever emailed me, has my mobile number. I respond to every email, other than blatant spam, and it’s in my signature.

I can’t think of any good reason not to call someone who you plan to work with. At the very least you will put yourself into the <1% of applicants that do it.

8. Answer the unasked questions

In every job ad, you will only see the stuff the recruiter wants you to see. But read between the lines. What questions aren’t they asking?

1. I asked for a short email. But really I’m going to be more impressed by someone who sends a high quality email with a bit more detail.
2. I didn’t ask for examples. But I’m recruiting for a content marketing role, of course I care if you can create content. So send some examples!

Think like the recruiter. What questions aren’t they asking. Answer those questions.

9. Send examples

With this job, and every job I’ve ever recruited for, examples would help an application. Here are some jobs I’ve recruited for and examples you could send that would increase your chance of success:

• Web designer — not mockups, send live websites that are successful.
• Assistant — Send an amazing document that achieved some sort of specific benefit for a business like mine. How about a proposal you edited and formatted that won a $20,000 contract?
• Content marketer — Send me a blog post you have written, on a blog that I’ve heard of, that was shared by people I look up to.
• Web developer — You know I employ developers. Why not send me a sample of your code and ask me to send it you my lead developer and ask him how awesome it is?

10. lead with ‘you’ not ‘I’

Humans by design care more about themselves than some person they don’t know. Go through your application and look how often you use ‘I’ or ‘we’ compared to ‘you’.

I went through 10 random applications for the position, and 9 out of 10 used ‘I’ or ‘we’ in the first line. The other one used it in the second line.

11. Don’t waste my time

There are some direct ways to waste people’s time (which tend to be obvious), and some indirect ones. The language you use in emails can be an indirect one. Once you read through 100 applications you spot them straight away and it becomes frustrating. Here are some things I saw a lot.

• “I know you are busy” — A I’m not that busy. B — If I was, do you think I’d like to spend that precious time that I have so little of, learning about how busy I am from someone who doesn’t know how busy I am? Don’t ever use this phrase in an email ever, for any reason.
• “I saw the position” — I know you did, otherwise you wouldn’t have applied for it.
• “I’m writing to you to apply” — I can see that
• “I am xxx” — I know who you are, Gmail tells me your name

“I know you are busy”. Don’t ever use this phrase in an email ever, for any reason. CLICK TO TWEET THIS

This probably makes me sound like a wanker but when you read this stuff 100 times, it makes you realize how unnecessary it is. And in any position that requires communication (particularly content marketing), a good applicant will understand those little details.