"You miss 100% of the jobs you don’t apply for.” Maybe Michael Jordan or Michael Scott said this, but we for sure say this. It sounds silly, but we hear more about jobs students missed because they missed the deadline or simply did not apply. No matter the reason you are hesitating to apply, here’s the thing, at the end of the day, do you currently have that job? No. Then what is the worst thing that could happen by applying? They say no, you still don’t have it, but you tried and learned something! Here are some tips to help you hopefully be more successful as you apply for jobs.
Apply sooner rather than later. If there is a job posting date, note how long it has been listed. If it has been listed more than a few weeks, you need to move swiftly to get your resume and cover letter prepared. There is a good chance that the job will close soon, and you don’t want to miss the window. If the date the posting will end is listed then make sure you still get your application materials at least one day before the deadline, preferably as soon as possible.
The other tip about applying is that although it is important to get the materials turned in early, you still need to be careful not to rush so much that your documents suffer. You should be editing your resume every time you apply because each job posting will be at least slightly different. This could mean that your resume changes quite a bit, and anytime you change your resume there is more room for errors. That is why we recommend you schedule a resume review or at minimum, have a friend who has strong spelling and writing skills to look over the resume for mistakes.
The last tip about applying is that employers have voiced that a well-written cover letter can make you stand out, while a poorly written cover letter can decrease your chances. If a cover letter is optional and you have the time to invest, write a cover letter using our outline and samples. Cover letter reviews are also helpful to ensure you are conveying what you hope to convey and that there are no grammatical errors.
Schedule a resume or cover letter review with us in Handshake.
For information on upcoming Events and Webinars, click here. Head over to our YouTube channel to find previous workshops and employer information sessions.