Have you sent dozens of resumes without a callback? How about hundreds of resumes? If you have been applying for jobs without not a lot of success you are not alone, most job applicants complain about exactly the same thing. Lot’s of application, lot’s of resumes, no interviews, no callbacks. Let’s learn how to use a little self promotion to get your next job.
Sometimes you apply to that perfect job. A job that you saw online or on the newspaper and seems perfect for you and you perfect for it. You have the desire, the expertise and the experience. You even write a customized introduction letter and you tweak your resume to fit the job description. You apply to this perfect job and you are sure they will call you back for an interview. You wait for that call and wait and wait. Nothing! No calls, no emails, just nothing. You have to use the basics of self promotion to land a great job.
What is wrong? Why don’t you get any callbacks? Is it you or is it them? Don’t worry, it’s not you. I’ve been on both sides of the job process and anytime I was hiring I received hundreds of resumes. It’s not easy to go through all of those resumes quickly and effectively. It is not easy to get back to every single applicant to give them feedback, or to tell them why they did not make the cut.
How do hiring managers go through resumes? Most likely they make 3 piles. One pile has the “No way” resumes, the other pile has the “Maybe” resumes and the good pile has the “Call back” resumes. This is important because hiring managers make this decision in about 5 seconds. Yes, five seconds to look over a resume and make a decision either to send it to the good pie or the bad pile.
You have to write your resume thinking that your first sale is to make it to the “Call back” pile, not to actually get the job. After you make it to the “Call back” pile you have to sell an interview. Here, in the interview is where you sell yourself for the job.
You also have to play the numbers game. Don’t expect to send 1 resume and get 1 call. Or to send 10 resumes and get 10 calls. You have to send resumes and follow up with calls and in your call push for a face to face interview.
What are the steps to a good job hire?
- Search the newspaper in your city
- Call job placement agencies in your city
- Send an interesting, out of the ordinary letter of introduction
Jorge Olson is a keynote speaker and author of several books including The Unselfish Guide to Self Promotion, a book that will make you a self promotion expert and teach you how to get your dream job
