Contact a specific company
Do you know what you want and have a career portfolio ready? It's time to approach the company.
How to respond to an offer from an advertisement
If you have come across an offer for a specific position, most job adverts have a contact you can reply to if interested. But even here you can improve your chances with a few tips:
- Do not hesitate to apply
Even though most job postings have a set period of time that they collect applicants, and it shouldn't be the case that the position will be closed early. Can recruiters start interviewing while the ad is still hanging. It may be that they find their favourite within the first few days. It can then be much harder to generate interest. - An approach letter does not equal a cover letter
This is a common mistake. The cover letter is the text you include in the body of the email. It should include a greeting and a brief explanation of why you are writing. A cover letter should be more comprehensive and also more specific. - Send CV and cover letter in pdf
Preferably put your name in the filename, the pdf will ensure you don't mess up the formatting when you open it. The same is true if you are applying for a position via the application form.
TIP!
Most email types include a feature that lets you get a notification of a missing attachment if you type in the body of the email that you are sending a document as an attachment. This prevents you from sending an email without an attachment, which is one of the most common misunderstandings.
Increase your chances of success
Your best chance of success when approaching a company is when you respond to a specific offer. But it's not the only way to get the position. If you're looking for something specific or if there's a lot of interest in similar positions, it pays to be proactive. How can you do this to increase your chances?
- Reach out to specific people
It may take a bit of detective work, but it's definitely worth finding a contact for a particular person. It could be someone in HR, but it could also be a department head. By doing so, you definitely increase the chances that someone will notice the email than if you send it to a general info address. - Impress the employer already in the cover letter
We wrote about the difference between a cover letter and a cover letter above. In case you are not sending an email for the position advertised, a cover letter is very important. It should generate enough interest to make the recipient want to open the attachment with your resume and even write you back at the end. - Inquire for work in the first half of the week
It is generally known that most work gets done in the first half of the week, when you have enough energy after the weekend and at the same time are not busy thinking about the upcoming weekend.
TIP!
The modern era of addressing directly favours. Take advantage of LinkedIn and reach employers through it. You can enquire about open positions, present your experience and pave the way for sending your CV. Be brave, people are used to being approached via LinkedIn and you may get a response quicker than via email.