Over the course of the past 8 years of co-running StackAdapt and growing it to over 500 people, I have reviewed tens of thousands of job applications, interviewed thousands, and hired hundreds. Today I will share five strategies I’ve learned that will help anyone, especially recent graduates, increase their chances of hearing back from the companies they apply to.
1. Attitude Check
I’ve been on both sides of the table—applying for jobs and interviewing for jobs. What I didn’t fully appreciate when I was looking for employment was how much companies invest in finding, developing, and retaining talent. A company’s success is all about its people, so it’s natural that a big part of the daily work of any company—especially a rapidly growing company—deals with recruitment. Yet, every manager will tell you just how hard it is to find the right people. The gap between what the talent market has to offer and what companies are looking for seems to only be growing larger. Recognizing this fact alone will allow you to see that companies want you to be their next hire. So make it easier for them to choose you!
2. Quick Wins
Here are a few ideas of things you can do in a matter of hours to increase your response rate:
Absolutely everyone’s resume looks the same. What can make yours stand out? When I was applying for my first job out of university, I printed my resumes on the thickest, fanciest paper I could find, which cost $1.25 per sheet. Some people thought it was obnoxious, but it did land me interviews. And speaking of resumes that stand out, I have yet to receive a single video resume!
Include samples of your work (anonymizing and redacting confidential content, of course). You don’t need a fancy website—just upload it to Google Drive. Even sample schoolwork can go a long way.
I personally never respond to someone who doesn’t have a LinkedIn profile. A sure way to stand out is to beef up your LinkedIn profile: add a high-quality photo, briefly summarize the responsibilities you’ve had in your previous jobs, and share your accomplishments. Show that you can be a good brand ambassador for the company that you want to join.
Show your personality, and show your passions! Instead of just listing volunteer experiences, add a sentence of why you chose each of them. Instead of listing hobbies (cooking, martial arts, hiking), add active, colourful descriptors. For example: “Avid hiker. Climbing Kilimanjaro was life-changing!” You can be professional without being boring.
3. Don’t “Spray and Pray”
Platforms like LinkedIn make it frictionless to apply for jobs, but sending out a vast number of resumes is counter to what you actually want to do. Apply to fewer jobs but with much greater intent. Believe it or not, a cover letter where only the company name has been swapped is really easy to spot. I would rather receive a three-sentence email explaining why you want to work at our particular company than a fluffy cover letter that can apply to any company. Stay as far away from generalizations as possible: state exactly what interests you in the role, why you want to work for that company, and how your background makes you the best fit for the position.
Also, keep in mind that if you apply for several jobs within one company, there is a good chance that the hiring manager will know that you’ve applied for multiple positions. Seeing that someone has applied for sales, designer, and product positions signals that the applicant hasn’t figured out yet what they want to do. Even if you haven’t, don’t make it obvious.
4. References Available Upon Request?
I can count on one hand the number of resumes I’ve received over the years that list their references front and center. When I landed my first job after university, my former boss told me that the reference letter I submitted with my application played a major role in helping him gain more confidence that I could learn fast and work hard. This was pure luck, as I had that reference ready due to the initiative of my Director in the Government of Canada where I had done my last internship before graduating from university. I just happened to get this impactful letter that helped me land my first real job.
Don’t depend on luck: Go back to your former employer and ask for such a letter. If you think they are too busy, draft a letter for them to make it easy for them to sign off on it.
Additionally, see if you can add a few references to your LinkedIn profile. Those don’t carry the same weight as a reference letter, but people do notice them.
5. Write to the Hiring Manager
Human Resources (HR) play an important role in any organization, but when it comes to hiring they receive guidance from the individual departments’ hiring managers regarding the departments’ talent needs. HR posts jobs, manages applicant pipeline, and screens candidates, but it’s the hiring manager that makes the final decision about who to send the offer to. As a hiring manager myself, very rarely do I receive emails or LinkedIn messages from potential applicants inquiring about specific roles. But when I do receive such a message, I always respond and share the profile with the relevant hiring manager. Trust me when I say it: the best way to get noticed for the role is to write directly to your future manager. Just don’t write, “What jobs do you think would fit my profile?” At the very least, say something along the lines of, “I looked at your careers page, and I feel job X or job Y may be a good fit for me because of Z, but I would love to connect to learn more and see which position may be a better fit.”
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Good luck! As always, I look forward to hearing from you if this advice has worked for you. And if you are interested in learning about opportunities at StackAdapt—ping me!