Applying for the Right Job

Today’s job market is tight, and it’s hard to find something that can be a perfect match for your skills.  It’s true that not every job title has a dedicated set of tasks, or skill sets.  The variant is the company who is hiring.  If it’s a large company, there may be specific list of skills they have for a large group of employees.  A smaller company may list the same job title and have additional functions that a large corporation may assign to a different role.  So how do you know which one is right for you?

The first step is reviewing the job description and understanding the company’s needs.  It’s important as an applicant to fully understand what the responsibilities are and if you meet the criteria to accomplish those tasks.  Applying for jobs that do not match your skill set is unproductive for you and for the recruiter who is reviewing your resume.  Sure, you get to put yourself in front of another set of eyes, however, this may not be the right time.  You want to get in front of that recruiter when your skills match their need.  It’s helpful to print the job description and place a check mark next to the skills that you have that match their need.

The second step is highlighting the skills you have that match the position in your resume.  Maybe you need to rearrange the order of your resume to highlight those skills.  Match their list of requirements with your list of skills first.  List your additional skills a little later in your resume that support the needs the company is looking for.  From the recruiter’s perspective, you want them to think “Yes, they have this required skill.  This skill is valuable for this role.  Yes, this is something we need for this position.”  We aren't suggesting you copy and paste their job description to your resume, however, it is important to systematically highlight the skills you have that match the job description.

Finally, once you’re resume is ordered in a way the recruiter will want to call you, submit your resume for them to review.  Include a friendly cover letter highlighting the “matches” on your resume to the job description and list a few personality traits that make you right for the job.  An example may be, “I see you have a need for a team leader in the field, I have enjoyed leading many successful team initiatives throughout my career.”

We hope this approach to applying for jobs helps you in your career search.  Best of luck to you!