When you’re applying for a job, you know that you’re just one of dozens (or more) people hoping to get the attention of the hiring manager. Even if you’re the most experienced and passionate of the bunch, if your materials get trapped at the bottom of the pile, it decreases your chances of landing an interview. Prevent that from happening with these strategies:
Add keywords into your resume and cover letter
If the company uses a computer program to do an initial scan of resumes and cover letters, you want to make sure that your materials have the keywords the company is looking for in order to get noticed. An easy way to do this is to take the words used in the job description and add them into your cover letter. For example, if the job description mentions the need for knowledge of a particular computer program, make sure that you mention your understanding of this software in your cover letter. Even if the company isn’t relying on a machine to do an initial scan, using these keywords can help you to quickly catch a hiring manager’s eye.
Use LinkedIn as a resource
When you’re applying to a job at a particular company, hop on LinkedIn and see how you’re connected to that business. Do you have a contact who would be willing to make an introduction for you? Even a quick e-mail connecting you with the hiring manager can be the difference needed to land you an interview.
Make it a point to develop in-person connections
If you’re on the job hunt, you should make it a point to attend conferences, networking functions, and other events where you’re able to mix and mingle with the people making hiring decisions at area businesses. It takes time to build up a professional network, but when you do it makes job searching much easier. Instead of having to apply blindly to open positions, you can rely on your pre-existing relationships to make it easier to get you an introduction into that particular company.
How did you get a hiring manager to notice you? Let us know in the comments!
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