I work in recruitment - specifically, I do all the admin in an agency.

One of the things that I find constantly happens is that people responding to job ads don't actually read the ad, and send out "generic" applications.

Whilst this can be OK if the ad itself is generic, sometimes the ad asks for specific things. If it does, it asks for them because that information or documentation is needed - not just because the person placing the ad wants to make it hard for you.

Sometimes, an ad is worded a specific way and asks for certain things and formats because it's a way to see how well you can follow a specification or written instructions. If you like, its a test of your comprehension. There are times when whether you follow those instructions or not can be the deciding factor as to whether you get an interview or not - espeically if the job is one where much of what you will be doing is following written speficications or instructions.

The other thing to be wary of is your generic covering letter. Make sure that you don't embarrass yourself by sending a covering letter addressed to somebody else (yes - it happens a lot).

And a final plea - if an ad specifically asks for locally based applicants, and you're not local (and by local, they usually mean within a 50 kilometer radius at the most), then don't apply - or wait for a week or so and put in a cold application explaining you saw the ad, and would like to work for that company, also explainig how you intend to relocate (don't expect that they will pay for relocation expenses).

Trust me - it takes time to wade through applications that just don't meet the criteria (and I'm not talking skills only). We had an ad that specifically said that locals only (it needed somebody to start within 5 days!) and also asked for specific information. In 2 days, we got 100 appliants - 90 of those were from interstate or overseas and none of them included the specific information we asked for.

Remember - this is your future career you're applying for. If you really, really want that job, then treat the ad and your application professionally. In a sea of generics, an application clearly written in response to a job ad stands out and gets immediate attention.

(oh - and I live in Brisbane, Australia and the agency places Engineers and other technical people)

Hi Megan,
I'm brand new to BellaOnline, and I'm just getting started in the forums. But, I wanted to write to tell you how great your advice is. It's always so helpful for job-seekers to hear the "inside scoop" from someone on the other side of the desk. Thanks for sharing!

-Kristy

Megan posted this a while ago, but it's so helpful to get insight into the hiring process from the employer's point of view, I wanted to comment.

There's so much to pull out of her comment
1. Ensure your application is tailored to show how your skills meet that employer's specific needs, based on the information in the ad and any additional knowledge you may have about the company.
2. Proof read, proof read, proof read
3. Don't be intimidated when you hear that an employer has received a lot of appliactions for a position. I usually tell people to apply if they think they could do the job and they have 80% of what the employer has asked for. As Megan said, often people who apply just don't meet the criteria at all, so don't let yourself be intimidated by loads of applicants.
4. Apply early! Employers get pretty bleary eyed looking through piles of resumes. Get yours in as soon as possible so they'll look at it before they're exhausted by the hiring process.
5. Design your application to grab their attention quickly. Imagine how easy it would be for an employer who had be sorting through stacks of resumes, to pass over a great candidate simply because the resume was not easy to read at a glance.
6. Megan's spot on about employers putting specific instructions in ads to test how well potential candidates follow instructions. Follow any instructions in the ad to the letter.

Wow, so many lessons in one post. Thanks Megan!

I just went to a recruitment for a Medical Billing Processor. My resume shows this. Yet when I went to be interviewed by the person doing the recruitment they almost immediately stated it was for customer service they were looking for. That is not what the ad said. So I was wondering if they almost eliminated me due to age even though they cant do that legally. Because I thinik anyone can answer the phone for customer service and my jobs manytimes were respondiong to the phone. It was just too fast and I was out the door. So there was something they did not like from the get go.

That sounds frustrating to spend your time to preparing and going to an interview only to find it was for a completely different type of job. I have noticed that some employers who are hiring for customer service call center positions will be subtle about the type of work in the ad. Lots of people shy away from applying to those jobs, so employers sometimes don't make it obvious that's the job they are trying to fill. I'm not saying it's right that they do that, just that, unfortunately, it happens sometimes.

You're right that promising interviews usually go a bit longer. You could try writing down everything that was asked and the answers you gave in the interview. It can help you to get some perspective on what happened and whether there's anything you could do differently for next time.

If you suspect you're experiencing some age discrimination, I've written an article with some job search tips for older workers. You might find some helpful information there.
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Hi Everyone:

The above post is from the COLD FILES, but I think this poster's advice is worth reading again. Who knows, it may help someone or have additional comments.

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