For the past few months I have gotten unsolicited CVs and application from job. While I made it a point of duty to reply some of these mails sometimes I even had to correct applicants on how to better communicate value in their application process.
As a very busy recruiter, I needed to find time to revert most mail not just because I have deadlines but because I have been in that shoe and for those I am unable to reply, this little piece may guide you better in your next application not just for #HRLeverage as a recruitment firm but for other opportunities you may be interested in. Now, back to the matter, without writing a long epistle, if you are currently looking to change your job or you need a shift in career and you have made several major applications and wondering why the recruiter has not called you, below may just be one of the reasons;
- YOU HAVE NO COVER MAIL: This of course has replaced the traditional cover letter. It is surprising while as a job candidate you send CV without writing at least 2 -3 paragraph about what you do, how you come about the job adverts, why you are the best candidate in line with what you have achieved. Recruiters don’t want to use up their hard disc in a downloaded CV. You need to make your write up catch their eyes so your CV can be viewed. Not writing a cover letter shows the extent of your seriousness in your application process.
- YOU HAVE NO APPLICATION TITLE: If you have ever applied for a job without a proper subject of the job of interest, then you need to have a rethink. Recruiters have so many roles they are shortlisting for. Hence to help his/her job, you don’t need him to be calling you to explain what job is of interest to you. Averagely, most applications without proper subject line get deleted almost upon arrival.
- YOU HAVE A WRONG ADDRESS: Sometimes you are smart enough and the above may not describe you. However, job portals like #My360Career.com post jobs and you apply without reading the details of the job in relations to the job location. Applying for a job in Lagos while the address on your CV reads Kano in Nigeria out rightly put you off the credible candidate. Obviously not many recruiters will be patient enough to call you and ask whether you have a place to stay in Lagos or not.
- YOU HAVE LIED ON YOUR CV: Many Recruiters have connections in some companies you claimed to have worked. Hence upon citing your CV the first point of call is to do a brief background check on you. The outcome of such checks will determine the credibility of those wordings on your CV.
- YOU HAVE NO COURTESY ON LINKEDIN: If you have ever written a linkedin mail to a recruiter and all you ask for is please I need to change my job. Then the recruiter had seen the rudeness in you as a major piss off. While I appreciate cold calling as job seeker, however courtesy demands you come with some professional decorum. Trust me, Linkedin has proven to be the best HR company in the world, but using it as an Instant Messaging App and so wrong.
- YOUR SCANNED CV IS AN ISSUE. I was once involved in an intense conversation on a WhatApp group dominated by seasoned HR Pro. The issue of Scanned CV was highlighted and it was agreed that scanned CV may lower your chances especially if your CV is in the hand of a third party consultants.
- YOU WRITE TOO MUCH: Too Much Personal Info and any item that easily discriminate you is a no go area on your CV. For instance, in Africa where sentiment is part of our professional life. Exposing your tribes, Local Government, Village, age, number of children, political links and any other issues which are unrelated to doing the job is a fantastic waste of space and this can jeopardize your chances.
- YOUR CV ISN’T COMMUNICATING VALUE: According to Stephen Covey, Interviewers no longer ask if you have the skills they want – they now ask you to tell them about specific instances when you used your skills. So why not communicate your value in a well written CV by detailing your skills so interviewer can have a chat with you.
- YOUR FUNKY EMAILS IS REPELLING: Email address like SweetMama, funky lady, Kokomaster, ChatwithSuzy, Baddo etc only brings you out as a never serious person. The simple role here is, let your email share resemblance with your name.
- YOU DON’T USE THE RIGHT WORD. Because recruiters sometimes don’t have much time due to the deadline, they sometimes search their data base with the buzz words to bring out some cv. For instant, words like designed, activated, planned, project plan, Stakeholder, budget, scope, time frame, schedule, contract and progress report should be in a project Manager’s CVs.
