200+ applicants? How do I stand out?
Oh, job searches.
They are completely and utterly time consuming. And don’t forget to add in a dose of mental exhaustion! Four of my clients reached out to ask, “Why do jobs have 200+ applicants? Should I still apply? And how do I stand out?”
From someone who has posted thousands of jobs, here’s how you can navigate this high-applicant job search environment. And more importantly, stand out against other applicants.
First, why are we seeing large applicant pools?
People are looking to make professional changes for various reasons. Spring and summer are intense job search seasons as people like to be settled by the time kids go back to school in the fall and the holidays come around at the end of the year. As a recruiter, the “busy season” started in March and went through October. Then there is also the fact that there were a number of layoffs at the beginning of the year, meaning even though there is a steady increase in job openings the application pool is also larger.
Now that we’ve covered why we are seeing such a spike in the number of applicants in the job market, consider this:
How many applicants are not qualified?
Many applicants are not even qualified for the job. People frantically submit job applications. And they often apply to some jobs they are nowhere near qualified for.
Some recruiters claim that 60% of applicants are not qualified for jobs. I’d be cautious to put a percentage on it, but I often looked through applications and thought “Did they apply to the wrong posting?” So, even if there are 200 applicants, what if 60% aren’t qualified? Maybe that will calm your nerves.
How many applicants is too many?
The short answer is the limit does not exist.
When it comes to job applications you should be thinking quality and quantity.
When applying to a job do a quick gut check:
Does the job description seem interesting to you?
Do you feel qualified and capable to perform in the role?
Does the organizational values align with your personal values?
Do you feel you could bring expertise and potentially fresh eyes to this role? (Mostly applicable for roles that might be a bit of a reach).
Would this role fit your work/life balance? Check the benefits and ensure the overall structure would align with your life.
If you answered YES to at least 4 of these questions - SUBMIT YOUR APP!
Tips to make you stand out:
Submit your application via the company’s website. LinkedIn, Idealist, and Indeed are great sites to find jobs, but I wouldn’t recommend applying via these third party sites. As a recruiter, I rarely checked applications on Indeed or LinkedIn. These were platforms we used to promote the jobs and point applicants to the company’s website.
Go directly to the company’s website and apply, this will get you one step closer to actually having your resume seen by the recruiter.
Now let’s talk about your resume:
Professional resumes are worth it
If you feel stressed, nervous, or out of depth when writing your resume, it is worth reaching out to a professional resume writer. Applicants with professionally written resumes have a 32% higher rate of finding a job than those who wrote resumes themselves.
When looking for a professional resume writer, consider:
Do they have recruitment or hiring experience? Look for someone with 4+ years of either.
How recent is their recruiting or hiring experience? If it’s more than 10 years, ask how they keep up with current resume trends.
How quick is their turnaround time? Be skeptical of a resume writer who can crank out a resume within 48 hours. They probably aren’t going to take the time to understand your experiences.
Do they specialize in your area of expertise?
How are their ratings on Google or Facebook?
This is where I come in…
If you want a professional resume written by a recruiter who reviewed more resumes than she can remember, The Resume Fox is your girl. With 8 years of recruiting and hiring experience, I launched The Resume Fox to create resumes that share professionals’ talents, skills, and interests. My process is personalized through a resume “interview” where I ask questions about your experiences, industry specific resume recommendations, and wordsmithing from a recruiter who knows what others are looking for.
Interested? Want to learn more? Contact me. I am here to help.
And if you’re applying to all the jobs, kudos to you for sticking with it. I am cheering you on!
