Hot Tip Tuesday #8

If the team at GJH, as recruiters, had a dollar for every time we saw an application that was addressed to the wrong business or role, we’d have quite a few dollars.

One of the biggest bugbears in recruitment is when the applications we receive are either totally generic, or worse, applying for the wrong vacancy or employer. This is a sure-fire way of being moved straight to the ‘NO’ pile and can be a red flag for further opportunities with that business/employer. Many recruiters will say that if you cannot take the time to ensure your application is correct, they feel that your attention to detail on the job will also be lacking.

The most common mistake we see is when a candidate sends through an application for a position but does not change their template to suit that particular role. Writing that you’re applying for a job with that businesses’ competitor, or referencing a different job title to the one you’ve meant to apply for, are some of the most regular missteps we encounter from jobseekers. We have also seen jobseekers not changing the file name and sending it through with incorrect information.

It does not take much time to ensure your application is accurate and correct. Our advice is for you to make a simple checklist of what you need to amend in your applications.

This can include:
• Is this application addressed to the correct employer?
• Have I correctly referenced the actual job I’m applying for?
• Is the information in my application relevant to this role?
• Are my contact details correct (you’d be surprised how often they aren’t!)
• Have I answered or sent everything they have requested in the advert?

It’s these one-percenters that can really prove to recruitment teams that you’re a viable candidate and not just applying for the sake of it. By spending an extra 5 minutes before you press ‘Send’ can be the difference between being shortlisted or not.

As always, the GJH team are here to help you with your applications. If you feel that your applications could do with a bit of polish, we’d love to help. Give us a call on 1300 084 307, email us at jobshub@gcc.tas.gov.au or feel free to come in and have a chat to the team in-person