Tips for Crafting an Exceptional Job Application

Focus on Your Resume

First and foremost, your resume is key to your ultimate success with an application. This is your opportunity to include any relevant data that will prove you’re a good fit for the requirements of a position. Before submitting an application, research the job and its duties. Use the information you gain to cater your resume to the specific job you are applying for. A generic resume blends into the rest, but one that includes job-specific lingo can make a real impression on a hiring manager or HR representative. 

Explore current resume trends as well. Popular practices are always changing when it comes to what businesses are looking for in an applicant’s resume. In the last few years, for example, it has become commonplace for a resume to be limited to a single page. While many companies will not turn away a two-page document, limiting yourself with your resume makes you more concise and allows you to highlight only the most pertinent details. 

Understand the Industry

The specific industry you are attempting to work in will usually have unique requirements for those searching for opportunities. Applying for a position in the world of sales, for example, usually includes creating a sales presentation. Potential employers want to make sure that the salespeople they hire know how to sell anything, including themselves. This presentation showcases your abilities in a way your resume only touches upon and can easily increase the odds of landing the job you’re after by proving your worth. 

Your Online Presence

Social media has shaped the world in some very interesting ways over the last few years. Once upon a time, parents cautioned their children about what information they shared online. Now, plenty of companies actively look at the profiles of potential hires to see how the person will add to company culture. If you have public accounts on sites like Facebook or Instagram, you definitely want to review what you’ve put out there before submitting an application. Something you shared several years ago when you had different perspectives can easily come back to haunt you during this time. 

Again, whether or not social media is taken into consideration during the hiring process will largely depend on the industry you work in. If your goal is to become a brand influencer, then it goes without saying that you need to have an Instagram account that showcases your abilities. When used as a type of curated portfolio, social media can be incredibly advantageous on an application. Be sure to include your social media handles on your resume if you believe it will add value to your application. 

Surprise Call

Lying on an application is never a good idea. Still, plenty of people have gotten into the habit of bending the truth a bit to make themselves seem more appealing. As tempting as this can be, companies have developed a number of tactics to validate what an applicant has stated. A preliminary screening call is normal procedure for some industries. This call determines whether a promising applicant receives an interview and the screener will inquire about every aspect of an application. If anything is remotely untrue, the call will make it clear to the company.

Delivering an exceptional job application is no small task. You need to put in a good amount of effort to see the results you’re after. Cater your resume to the job, understand the ins and outs of the industry, and research current trends to improve your odds of landing a position that will help your career take off.