Many of you might relate to these statements. To some extent, these allegations are true, too. However, organizations have realized that hiring right employees is a critical task, as there is no easy layoff or firing policies. Similarly, hiring candidates solely on the basis of nepotism has cost organizations with inefficiencies and losses in the long run.Having said that, why wouldn't you hear back from companies you've applied to? Recruitment is a tedious process, and several organizations don't have dedicated HR department to deal professionally with the applications received. Organizations that have dedicated HR department lack human resources to deal with the volume of applications, as vacancy is an infrequent event. There are chances that out of 1,000 applications, yours could be the 999th one received by the employer. So by the time they read your application, chances are, they barely notice you. Thus your best shot at being considered for the interview is to consider the following questions:
Did I meet the specifics?
Candidates tend to ignore the specifics mentioned in the vacancy notice. Several notices specify their requirements such as education, skills, experience, etc. If you do not meet the specifications, chances of you being called is null. For example, when vacancies clearly outlines x years of experience or y percentage/CGPA, they really mean it. So even if you're one day short from the specified experience or 0.01 short from the specified percentage/CGPA, the bitter fact is you aren't eligible.
Did I customize rather than standardize?
In many cases, we have received applications for ABC Company that was developed for XYZ Company. Candidates do not realize the art of customization. Yes, you need one general cover letter and resume, which outlines all of your credentials. Consider this as a master copy where you have inventoried your achievements and experiences. Now your job is to tailor the most relevant information from the master copy and paste it on the cover letter and resumes according to the job descriptions and specifications mentioned in the vacancy notice.
For example, in the previous job, you had dual responsibilities of marketer and administrator. Currently there's a vacancy for the post of an administrator. In this case it is better to highlight your skills and achievements as an administrator rather than a marketer. Same goes for college graduates who have completed several academic projects. Rather than mentioning all of them, highlight those projects that are most relevant to the job opening.
Did I focus on matrix rather than generics?
Whether it is your cover letter or your resume, generics get less attention as compared to matrix. For example, it's always better to mention "While working as customer care representative, I had to attend 90 customers in a day." Similarly, rather than mentioning "increased sales," be more specific and write "Increased sales by 21%." By throwing numbers you'll sound more credible to the prospective employer. This is also how you can make yourself stand out from other candidates.
Is my email address, grammar and spelling professionally correct?
Applicants' carelessness is also a reason recruiters reject candidates. Minute flaws like unprofessional email address, grammatical mistakes and small typos can discount you to be called for the interview.
In job applications, we've come across email addresses such as Lovewithme@abc.com, rockguy@1234.com, freakygirl@xyz.com, etc which many of you might have created as your first email address. Likewise, grammatical errors such as incorrect use of words such as 'affect' and 'effect', 'your' and 'you're', 'their' and 'there', and typos like 'tow' for 'two' play big roles in putting you off the race.
So if you aren't confident of finding these common mistakes in your CV/resume/application, have your friends (or anyone you trust) thoroughly read them. They might not be the experts, but they will at least help you eliminate simple and obvious mistakes.
What is my format?
We have received cover letters and resumes that are basically the same, except for the name. They are actually the ones that quickly get turned down from further process. Candidates also get into the trap of many institutions that promise them to craft their resumes, because such resumes end up losing their individuality. And hence, they become unnoticeable in the eyes of the recruiters.
So what should you do for the format? Candidates can find the formats easily in Google. Similarly, even Microsoft Office Word has resume formats that candidates can easily use. However, a mere copy and paste of the format will not work. Candidates need to customize the format according to their personality and achievements. The format should reflect who you are professionally.
Did I update my resume in job portals?
Job portals rely on candidates' information. It is you who we are marketing to prospective employers. We search and shortlist you based on certain criteria defined by our clients such as academic qualifications, grades, experiences etc. Many candidates do not update basic information such as education, grades, experiences and other achievements. Despite being qualified for the opening, they do not even appear in our search results just because they haven't updated their information in job portals.
If you consider all these points, you'll increase your chances to be called for an interview. In the age of Internet, where people are powered by information, putting a little effort in perfecting your cover letter and resume can surely land you on your dream job. The key mantra is to carefully scrutinize the vacancy's requirements and tailor your cover letter and resume according to the stated requirements.
The author is the Managing Director of Jobs Dynamics Pvt Ltd. He can be reached at rajiv@jobsdynamics.com.
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