The corona pandemic has hit the economy hard all over the world. For in order to break the chains of infection, companies have been asked to temporarily close their doors. However, this state of emergency has now lasted for more than a year, which is why marginal employees and workers from the hospitality industry in particular have had to say goodbye to their jobs.
03.05.2021, 08:24
The number of unemployed has risen accordingly by one million people and causes frustration and resignation on the labor market. Are you also currently looking for a job? In the following article we will show you how to design your application to stand out from the crowd.
The right preparation for the job application
While job seekers from past decades took job offers from newspapers, today the Internet serves us for job search. There are now countless Platforms, websites and portals, Aimed at connecting skilled workers with potential employers. Applicants can have suitable job postings sent to them via WhatsApp or email and send an application with just a few clicks.
However, this procedure often ignores the fact that companies are not only interested in the hard skills of the applicants, but also attach great importance to the soft skills. After all, it’s primarily interests, values and characteristics that determine whether a person can integrate well into an existing team. So instead of focusing solely on the job posting, applicants should also consider whether the Corporate Identity of the company and its economic and social activities correspond to one’s own ideas. Do extensive research. Based on this, they can decide whether an application is worthwhile. In addition, the information can also be integrated into the letter of application.
Resume
Despite a predefined order of application documents, 68 percent of personnel managers usually reach immediately for the resume. Within only a few seconds the whole document is skimmed and analyzed. If you do not immediately convince the recruiter with the information provided, your application will be sorted out by return of post. The resume is therefore a means for companies to make a preliminary selection and often represents the only chance for applicants to continue in the application process.
- Contact and personal information: Name, address, phone number, email address, place and date of birth, and nationality
- Educational background: school, university, vocational training
- Professional history: work experience, part-time job, internships, advanced training, continuing education, etc.
- Hard skills: competences, key skills, languages etc.
- Soft skills: hobbies, areas of interest, etc.
Cover letter
If you want to catch the recruiter’s interest, you should stand out from the crowd of applicants. It is recommended not to use a standard cover letter from the Internet. These already contain hackneyed formulations and phrases that show little creativity and initiative. With the cover letter, you want to showcase yourself and your skills. At the same time it should show that you have studied the company and understand what is really important in the job.
Design and layout
The alpha and omega of a resume is its clear structure and clarity. However, to catch the eye of recruiters and make a positive impression, it is advised to use a fancy design and layout. In creative professions, but also in marketing and the IT industry, this is also considered a decisive evaluation factor.
Application photo
It is true that with the smartphone, webcams and co. nowadays high-quality pictures can be shot, but personnel managers can still tell the difference from a professional photographer. This can also provide them with important tips on posture, facial expressions and gestures.
How fast should you apply?
Generally, job seekers are given a period of two weeks to respond to an open job offer. However, this information should only be seen as a rough guide, as differences can be seen from industry to industry. Many companies also include a deadline in the job posting. Thus, applicants can say with certainty when it no longer makes sense to send off the documents.
Send application documents
Every company has individual preferences. You should usually be able to tell from the job posting which way you should send your application materials to the potential employer. There are two ways to do it: by email or by mail. However, since the outbreak of the corona pandemic, there has been an increased request to send applications as a coherent PDF file.