Understanding the application process (5.0)

Like at school or university, following simple rules & instructions given to you ensures that your essay will get a better mark. Likewise, by structuring your response to the questions asked and adhering to the instructions provided your application will be read more often and be clearer than others that aren’t. This may seem obvious but many people do not know that applications have rules, and even fewer take the time to understand or adhere to them. So how do you find these rules and what are they?

When applying for a job the recruiter or the HR contact in the organisation is the keeper of these rules as they pertain to their client’s/organisation’s requirements. They know in what style they like their applications to be received and what they are looking for. So the first step is to contact the individual receiving the application and ask (4.1) ‘How should I apply and what would you like from me by way of an application?’

Asking the question above ensures that you understand what is required for the application process. This is important because, particularly in the public sector, those who do not submit their applications according to the rules and formulae set down risk having their applications disregarded. Whilst this may seem petty, I cannot tell you how often a seemingly qualified applicant has applied for a role but not been shortlisted because they did not follow carefully specified application processes. So you need to join the circus and jump through those hoops.

They will also be able to tell you what they don’t want. So, if a ‘full’ application is not warranted and a 2 page CV application is all that is required then it is useful to know that before you submit a 15 page application (it happens!).

Next: Roll up roll up...the public sector application process

4 things to do when applying via a recruiter (4.3)

1. Do your research

2. Call them

3. Impress them

4. Stay close to them

1. Research, Research & Research

Here it is again in case you missed it in the abridged version earlier and in full in 2.0. This process is about gathering enough information to impress the recruiter so that they feel comfortable impressing the client on your behalf. You need to do a number of things.

•         Desk based research – Google, website analysis etc
•         Call people you know who know the organisation
•        Call people you know who work for the organisation or have in the past
•        Call the organisation and do some ‘mystery shopping’
•       Visit the site of the office or facilities/services offered by the organisation

2. Call to gain information

The key to any successful assignment is a recruiter taking a full brief from their client. This is information that you as an applicant do not always have access to but you need to know. It is possible to get it from other sources but having this information straight from those who are making the recruitment decisions is invaluable.

You should treat the call to a recruiter as the first, and arguably most powerful, step in your application process. If you can impress them then they are likely to impress the client on your behalf. But...

Do it right: I cannot tell you how many times a potential applicant has called me and said ‘I saw the advert for X, can you tell me about the role?’ without having done any research or giving any thought to their suitability for the role. My automatic response is ‘Have you read the job description on the website?’ or ‘Have you looked at their website?’ Most haven’t and it is embarrassing for them. Worse still, on the basis of that poor conversation, it puts them behind those who, instead of ringing me immediately, did some research first.

See the section below in “Impress them” to see a better opening conversation.

What else should you ask?: Some of the better questions I have received include:

•  Is this a newly created role? If not, why did the previous incumbent leave?
•   What is the culture of the organisation like?
•  What are the aspirations of the company?
• Is there an internal candidate?

And importantly...‘How should I apply and what would you like from me by way of an application?’

Questions like those above separate you from the mundane applicant who asks about money or the same questions everyone else does. They demonstrate you to be intelligent, informed and in tune with what an organisation might want. They are not presumptuous nor are they arrogant. Instead they are sensible and, importantly, they suggest that you know your value and do not want to have your time wasted – they speak of your ‘gravitas’.

3. Impress them

If you do your research and you get this right then you cannot help but impress. It will clearly separate you from your competitors and in turn give the recruiter the power to impress their client on your behalf.

But remember, if you fail to impress or are not ready for the meetings or phone calls ahead then your lack of preparedness may generate a negative referral. This can all but ruin your chance of a successful placement and fear of this is, I suspect, one of the reasons many poor candidates do not do this level of research.

Of course you can only make a strong phone call if you have done your research. Some of the most impressive calls have begun with something like this...

‘Hello my name is Jane Doe. I saw the advert for the Head of Strategy at ABC Rentals recently. I have had a look at their website and have spoken to some of their stakeholders including X Y & Z. I even managed to get an introduction to their Chief Executive from a mutual friend. I understand that one of the issues ABC Rentals might be facing is about the impact that the strong dollar has on their overseas business. If I tell you a little about myself could you tell me a little more about the role and whether you think my skill set matches what you are looking for?’

This is an impressive start to any conversation. Sure it requires some research but it will be worth it for all of the reasons I have mentioned before. Even if you only do half the research required to have this conversation it will still put you above all the other candidates who haven’t done this.

4. Stay close to them

From experience, those who know and have a strong affinity with a recruiter are more likely to be recommended for roles by that recruiter. This happens for a number of reasons not least of which is that the recruiter is unlikely to know the other candidates as well.

Recruiters are human - it may not always seem that way but they are - and because they see and speak to so many people it is possible that they might forget you or your application is ‘lost’ in the midst of a busy period or hectic schedule. You can not afford for this to happen so, for the reasons above, you need to ensure that you stay at the forefront of the mind of the recruiter who is managing your application.

How do you do this? As a candidate you should always look to add value to you application by helping the recruiter. You can do this in a number of ways so during this period make it a priority to:

• try to find leads that you can pass on to the recruiter– this gives you an excuse to call them again.
• continue your research - this gives you more excuses to call when you find out new pieces of information that need clarity or the recruiter might be interested in.
• introduce friends who are looking for new work – introducing them to the recruiter works because it is an opportunity for them to find new clients and new candidates. 
• Provide business development leads that the recruiter might be able to develop.
• Try to meet the recruiter personally - this can be tricky and in some cases be seen as ‘too much’ from the recruiter’s perspective but, if possible and appropriate, it is worth meeting them – offering to buy them a coffee helps.

Recruiters trade on reputation and contacts. If you can help them with both they will appreciate it and you will build a bond with them whilst simultaneously demonstrating you are well connected and intelligent. The best way to stay close to them is to pass on relevant information on a regular basis.

Next: Understanding the application process

Remember ‘job hunting is a competitive exercise: you must dare them not to see you’

3 things to know about recruiters (4.2)

I was told recently from an experienced ASX 200 Board Member that ‘recruiters are not your friend’. Whilst this may sometimes be true, the reality is that recruiters are far more powerful than many give them credit for. However, as gatekeepers, even ‘bad’ recruiters can be recruiting roles that you want. So no matter how you feel about working with recruiters you need to know how to do so effectively.

Having said this, my advice, wherever possible, is to avoid using recruiters to find yourself a new role. I say this only because if they are speaking to you then they are speaking to hundreds of people just like you. In doing so they are placing you in direct competition with other candidates, reducing your chances getting the job you really want.

1. They are powerful:  Recruiters are powerful because they are listened to by the decision makers in the company that you want to work for.

A common misconception is that the role of a recruiter just to pass CVs to employers. In actuality recruiters have developed, often over a long period of time, a close relationship with their clients/your potential employer. For this reason they are often seen as ‘trusted advisors’ and they are asked their opinion on the candidates they put forward; their opinions count.

I have been in many board rooms where I have been asked my opinion on candidates: whether I have met or spoken to them; whether I know of anyone who knows them; what their reputation is; or how they performed in their previous roles. In the case that I know or have spoken with the candidate, I can answer these questions and my answers are powerful ‘nudges’ towards or away from an appointment. Where I don’t know the candidate these applicants can quickly slip down the ‘must see’ list.

2. What motivates them? Recruiters are paid to generate interest in a role(s) and facilitate an appointment. They work in a number of different ways but essentially they are advertisers for vacancies - whether by advertising or headhunting or a database search - and their success and reputation is built on providing as many qualified candidates for the role as they can.

There are always exceptions, but generally the majority of recruiters are interested in making as many placements as they can, which means submitting as many quality candidates as they can for as many roles as possible. For this reason their focus is not always about finding the best person for the job, instead it is primarily about making a placement. For the good recruiters this is often the same thing, but it is an important difference to be aware of and should shape the way you work with them.

3. Your reputation is their reputation: In many ways recruiters do not differ much from an employer an HR team - they are motivated to succeed because their reputation depends on it. If you want to use recruiters effectively then, perversely, it is in your best interest to try to improve their reputation.

Think of it this way. Would you recommend a friend for a job in a company you worked for if you knew that your reputation would be likely to suffer because of it? Probably not. Likewise, a recruiter who does not know you won’t recommend or stick their neck out for you unless they are fully convinced you are going to make them look good. So, if you can impress them, they will be more willing and able to impress their client on your behalf. Conversely, if they are not impressed by you and feel that their reputation might be harmed, they will be less likely to recommend you.

This means that you need to assure them that you are the most highly qualified, best informed, most presentable and most affable candidate. If you can do this, then they are likely to personally support your application – a powerful thing.

Next: 4 things you need to do when applying via a recruiter