Responding to job postings can be tedious. Often, it feels like you'd be better off rolling your resume up, popping it into a sealed bottle, and sending it adrift on the ocean hoping that a vacationing law firm hiring partner will pick it up somewhere off the coast of Belize. Most job postings these days get dozens of responses, if not more, and most resumes get barely a glance. But there are things you can do to improve your success rate when responding to job postings, and there are common mistakes you can avoid to ensure your resume doesn't go straight to the trash bin. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of this method of applying for jobs.
- Follow instructions carefully. For example, a posting may request that applicants send a resume and salary requirements to a specific email address with "REF201210" in the subject line. If you omit any of these elements, you will give the impression that you are careless and not enthusiastic about the position--not a great first impression! Before you hit 'send' or 'submit,' review the posting carefully to be sure you have included everything they have asked for. If you include more than they ask for, be sure to point this out. For example, if you were responding to the posting described above, and you wanted to include a writing sample, your cover email shouldn't say "Attached please find my resume, salary requirements, and writing sample." Rather, it should say something like this: "As requested, attached please find my resume and salary requirements for your consideration. I have also attached a short writing sample, which you may find useful in evaluating my qualifications."
- Take care in drafting your cover e-mail. There should be no typos and the formatting should be as clean as possible. Remember that e-mails are easily forwarded; assume that the most senior person in the office will be reading your cover e-mail. Give your cover e-mail the same level of attention that you would give to a more formally written letter.
- Attach documents in PDF format, unless otherwise specified. Some postings request that documents be attached in Word format, in which case you should follow the instructions. In all other cases, you should attach documents in PDF format, as formatting in Word documents can become problematic when opened on a computer with different default settings. Always double check the PDF after converting to be sure that the conversion was clean. Fordham's computers have a version of Adobe that will allow you to convert a Word document directly to a PDF. If you need help using this function, you should contact the Law School Help Desk.
- If you include a formal cover letter (rather than just the email cover), attach your cover letter and resume in a single PDF document. Be sure to state that they are attached as a single PDF so it doesn't look like you have forgotten to attach something (i.e., "Attached please find my cover letter and resume (attached as a single PDF document).")
- If you know someone in the organization, let them know you've applied. Emailing a contact at the organization to let them know you have applied is a great way to ensure that your resume gets at least a second glance. Asking the person to put in a good word for you would be too forward; rather, you should let them know you have applied and leave it up to them to bring it to the attention of the appropriate contact at the organization. A short email like this would be appropriate:
Dear John,
I hope you are well! I am writing to let you know that I submitted my resume for the Foreign Associate position, which was recently posted on the firm's website. I am very interested in the position, and I would appreciate any advice you have with respect to following up.
Kind regards,
Jane
- Don't neglect the follow up. Often people fail to follow up with respect to positions they apply for in response to job postings, especially when the application involves an online application process. Call the HR department and try to find out who you should contact to follow up. Follow up every couple of weeks to let them know that you remain interested in the position.
No comments:
Post a Comment