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Creating great job applications is not dissimilar from doing great marketing.
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1. Almost every role is created to solve a painful business problem.
Something happened that made the hirer decide that they need help.
It’s not always obvious from the job description, but do your research and try to figure out what their burning pain is.
Something happened that made the hirer decide that they need help.
It’s not always obvious from the job description, but do your research and try to figure out what their burning pain is.
For example, are they looking for a content marketer because...
...they don’t do any content marketing and realized they need to start?
...their content marketing isn’t working and they need to fix it?
...their content marketing works and they want to pour fuel on the fire?
...they don’t do any content marketing and realized they need to start?
...their content marketing isn’t working and they need to fix it?
...their content marketing works and they want to pour fuel on the fire?
The solution you should sell in your application is profoundly different in each of these cases!
2. Put yourself into the shoes of the reviewer looking at hundreds or thousands of applications.
They’re pattern matching to try and shortlist or disqualify applications as quickly as possible.
Consider what other candidates are doing, and how your application compares.
They’re pattern matching to try and shortlist or disqualify applications as quickly as possible.
Consider what other candidates are doing, and how your application compares.
If you write short, single sentence responses to big, open ended questions, how will that look in a pile of applications full of more thoughtful responses?
3. Capturing attention is important, but the RIGHT kind of attention.
Cursing or using caps in your opener or saying something weird is the wrong (but common) way to do this.
You’ll be tasked with representing the company to the market. Who wants to be represented this way?
Cursing or using caps in your opener or saying something weird is the wrong (but common) way to do this.
You’ll be tasked with representing the company to the market. Who wants to be represented this way?
4. What can you do to stand out the right way?
Honestly, only doing 5-10% more than the average applicant is often enough to at least get you noticed.
Submit a short video, create a landing page for your application, do something creative and thoughtful.
Honestly, only doing 5-10% more than the average applicant is often enough to at least get you noticed.
Submit a short video, create a landing page for your application, do something creative and thoughtful.
5. Sometimes (often) applications will ask for your opinion on a business problem the company is facing.
Sometimes (often) you wont have complete information to answer the question.
Sometimes (often) you wont have complete information to answer the question.
The point of the question is to see how you think; often the best responses to scenario questions are the ones that ask smart questions instead of offering overconfident answers.
6. Tell the hirer why you’re not just a great fit for the role, but for their company.
What excites you about their team, their mission, their market?
What excites you about their team, their mission, their market?
7. Know what your weaknesses are, and tackle them head on in your application.
Almost NO candidates will check all of the boxes in the job posting.
But explain why they should talk to you anyway.
Almost NO candidates will check all of the boxes in the job posting.
But explain why they should talk to you anyway.
8. If you really wanted a job and didn’t get it, it’s okay to email the company and ask why.
Worst case: no response (so what?)
Best case: you get honest feedback, improve what got you ignored and get hired the next time around (I’ve hired people this way multiple times).
Worst case: no response (so what?)
Best case: you get honest feedback, improve what got you ignored and get hired the next time around (I’ve hired people this way multiple times).
9. Applying for jobs can be frustrating, scary, overwhelming and discouraging.
Please take care of yourself and do what it takes to stay positive.
Know that there are companies who want what you bring to the table.
Please take care of yourself and do what it takes to stay positive.
Know that there are companies who want what you bring to the table.
Sometimes, just as in the marketing job you’re striving for, it takes trying different approaches to get the result you want.
Original tweet and offer to help:
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