The Early Bird Gets the…Job?

Creating a well-written resume and cover letter are not the only tools needed to get noticed by recruiters today. These days, there may be hundreds of applications for a single opening. Recruiters and hiring managers often cannot review each application that comes through the door. Job search sites such as Indeed.com, Monster.com, and Careerbuilder.com are displaying a new trend.

You may be surprised to find out that some jobs are posted to a job search site for mere hours before expiring. Employers set a limit at gathering the first X amount of resumes that meet basic qualification criteria, and once they do, the job requisition is closed down to further applicants. On a recent interview, I was told that there had been 155 applicants to the job in the first three days, and only EIGHT people were selected to interview. How can job applicants beat this cutoff for applications?

1.) Apply right away to jobs that pique your interest and match your skills. This may seem like common sense, but I know several colleagues who have waited three, four, even seven days to post for a job while they “think about how to best approach the position.” By this time, the job may be removed from postings.

2.) Set up email alerts that send an email to your inbox each time there are jobs matching your profile. This way, you will get the information quickly, and can respond promptly.

3.) Not all job postings go to the big job search engines. If there are specific companies that you are targeting, make it a practice to check those websites two or three times a week to see if new listings are posted. Some company websites also have email alert capabilities.

4.) Get your internal referrals lined up ahead of time. For example, if you have a friend who will be an employee referral for you at ABC Corporation, get his/her information ahead of time, so that when a job opens up in your area, you can apply right away and use the employee referral. Many times, colleagues reach out to their internal contacts when they see a job posting, asking that person if they can use him/her as a referral; this may cause a 24-48 hour delay if the person is not able to respond right away.

There is no substitute for a well-written resume and cover letter. The same rules still apply there; grammar, spelling, and a clear picture of the person’s qualifications are necessary. However, today’s job market proves the old adage correct: the early bird gets the worm, or in this case, the interview that could lead to a job.