Impress with an Outstanding Job Application to Get the Invitation You Desire
Manager reveals how to get through the application door first to convince the interviewers of your merits.
“Wow, that’s what I call an original application from a candidate who could be a real fit.” That’s the reaction you want to get when they look at your application. You don’t want to be someone they also invite, you want to be one of those candidates they’re really excited to meet.
Be the first on the pile!
There are 3 important stages in an application process and 1 afterwards:
- The browsing through applications
- The detailed review of applications of interest
- The assessment and/or interview
- The salary negotiation
In this article I will explain how to get the best chance of being invited with a perfect application.
The application consists of:
- Cover letter
- Cover sheet for an application portfolio
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- (School reports), diploma & certificates
- References
Cover letter
The cover letter is the central element for evaluating your interest, skills and work experience. It must be absolutely error-free.
1. The formalities
Look at how current the standards are for the layout of a letter, especially where the address, sender, date, etc. should appear. These vary in different countries.
Be sure to address the letter to the correct person, spell names correctly, choose proper salutations.
2. The design
There are good templates for a few euros on the net, which are in an eye-catching yet serious design and put both cover letter and resume in the appropriate layout. Use something that fits the company you’re applying to and stands out from the crowd to get your application in the review pile.
3. The structure
The cover letter should be 1, max 2 pages long. It should have the following structure:
- Salutation
- Introductory sentence, why you are applying, how you found out about the job. Example:
“I saw your job posting on LinkedIn, which immediately piqued my interest. I believe my knowledge and skills match exactly what you are looking for in the job.”
Or something more original and fresh, maybe a little cheeky, but not too much:
“I’m sure to make our customers happy about the decision to bring me into your company.”
- The next paragraph on personal background
- A paragraph on the specific skills that fit the job
- A paragraph on the soft skills that set you apart. Examples include communication skills, intensive concurrent learning, teamwork skills, conflict resolution skills, and resilience. These are important and show something about your personality. Especially if your expertise doesn’t yet encompass everything the job posting expects, then it’s important that you shine with soft skills and are ideally inquisitive and eager to learn.
- The committed statement of intent to work in the company and the desire for a personal interview.
- Greeting
4. The style
As mentioned above, find the right style that fits the company and the job you want. A conservative banking job requires a relatively formal style. A social media manager job at a startup needs fresh, edgy, and original types who can put across a striking personality.
- Be personal: address the recipients by name and talk about your personal motivation to apply for this particular position.
- Be specific: do not give the impression that your cover letter is designed for many different applications. It should be very specific to the job and the company and also highlight the specific characteristics, experiences and successes of you and leave out the irrelevant. Describe what you have achieved so far that will help you in the new job.
- Be precise: Every sentence has to fit. Avoid every unnecessary word and every unnecessary piece of information. The cover letter should ideally fit on one page. In some cases, it may stretch slightly to a second page (mainly because of custom formatting), but then it should have a substantive reason.
- Be clear: write in an understandable language and do not try to make your own competence seem higher by an accumulation of foreign words. Competence is also to be understandable and to use foreign words only where they are necessary or common for precision.
The resume
This part of your application is the list of your knowledge, qualifications and experience. Here, too, you should pay attention to the points mentioned above and especially highlight the sections that are essential for the job. Always adapt it to the job profile.
Show special achievements. Not only qualifications and certifications, but also if you have achieved something special for the institutions you have worked for or even been awarded.
Design: Use an up-to-date layout that has a clear outline. Templates that summarize and guess Key Skills in the margins are especially recommended.
Use meaningful headings for each section of your resume, such as: Work Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills, etc.
Gaps in your resume: Many employers are still skeptical about this. Gaps should be explained. Often these days they are “disguised” as a period of education or a sabbatical. Maybe you can understand the time as a “learning phase” and explain what you studied. Remember that you need to be able to explain this, because this kind of thing usually comes up in the interview.
Wording: Use active verbs like “organized,” “managed,” or “accomplished” to put your accomplishments in a positive light.
Spelling and grammar: As in the cover letter. NO ERRORS. Have your documents spell checked and give them to others to attentively proofread. Your future is at stake!
Picture: This is controversial and not desired in some countries. However, if it is not explicitly forbidden, you should seriously consider using one if you do not fear discrimination. This is a difficult issue anyway. Do you want to go to an interview with an employer who would discriminate against you based on your appearance? So it’s a personal consideration whether you have concerns here and what alternatives you have. Generally, however, a picture always helps a well-meaning employer get an impression and is often still expected.
If you use a picture, then a professional picture that fits the job and work environment and with which you can identify well. In a start-up, the photographer’s picture with suit and tie is certainly not the most ideal. In the area of a classic bank, a too casual picture from vacation would not be a good sign that you have understood where you are applying.
Certifications: They are now more important than school reports. They show that you are voluntarily continuing your education and, above all, demonstrate specialist knowledge. With this evidence of relevant skills, you can stand out from other applicants.
Sign with your name: At the end, add a CURRENT date and signature to your resume. This shows timeliness, specificity and a personal touch.
Bottom line:
If the job is important to you, invest time in your application and customize it for each position. Be personal, specific, and concise, and help the employer see your best qualities and accomplishments. Put yourself in his or her shoes once and ask yourself if you would be invited. If not, tweak your application a bit more until you can convince yourself.
Your application should stand out from the crowd with correctness and originality and match the vacancy, then you will surely be invited for an interview.
Additional tip: You are far ahead with an application video or an application website. If you have something like that, highlight it clearly in the cover sheet and cover letter.
The next step will be the interview. How to prepare for it, you can read here:
