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Sending ApplicationsMany suitably experienced people fail to obtain an interview because they do not pay sufficient attention to detail at the start of the process. There is more to applying than just firing off a CV. Here are some handy hints as supplied to us by one of our clients. BEFORE APPLYING 1. Print off the advertisement and read it very carefully. Although this might seem obvious, it is clear that many applicants do not read past the job title or salary! 2. If there is jargon in the body of the ad which is unfamiliar, it is unlikely that you will have the right experience for the role. The inclusion of such items are part of the screening process. 3. In the "requirements" there will usually be "must haves" and "ideals" Eg candidates "must have experience of continuous process manufacturing, ideally gained in a Blue Chip company" If you do not have any experience of continuous manufacturing there is no point in applying but, on the other hand, although an advantage, in this instance, to have worked for a large Blue Chip, the recruiter will consider applications from suitably qualified individuals from smaller companies. 4. You must be realistic when applying for roles which are a significant career move for you. If the role advertised is for an Operations Director with a salary of £60,000 and your current role is that of Production or Manufacturing Manager with a salary of less than £45,000 it is highly unlikely that you will have the requisite experience to fulfil the requirements of this much more demanding role. 5. Having decided that your experience largely matches the brief, do not forget to read the application request from the recruiter. These are many and varied and although it is expected that applications through an internet portal will be by e-mail, please do not assume that this is the case. APPLYING 1. Prepare your curriculum vitae or resume (seeFAQ 1), paying particular attention to 3 above. It would be advisable to have this in MS Word as this will be the word processor of choice in the majority of recruiters. Saving as Rich Text format should make it acceptable in the majority of cases. CV's in Excel are, frankly, unacceptable. 2. A covering letter should always be included. Even although you are e-mailing your details you are not only exhibiting extreme bad manners by not sending a letter, you are missing an opportunity to emphasise where your experience matches the brief. It takes more time, but it is as important as the CV itself. This can be written in (directly or pasted from your WP) into your e-mail software or attached separately. If the name of the recruiter is included in the application details, it is a nice touch to address it her/him but formally. Not everyone appreciates being addressed by her/his first name at this stage. 3. The level of position advertised in directors-online are of a senior nature and any application should reflect your ability to operate at this level in both content and presentation 4. Remember to include day-time contact details. Make it easy for the recruiter to make contact with you. You should also check you e-mail address, at least once a day to check for response from the recruiter. 5. Do Not, send photographs (unless specifically requested). They tend to make the file overly large and they are not really necessary and give the recruiter the opportunity to say no. 6. Do Not send other supporting documentation (except covering letter). You will not be thanked for clogging up systems with PowerPoint documents, Spreadsheets or the like. 7. It is also not advisable to send your application from a PC at your place of employment, if this is part of a network. If you have an IT department, it is likely that they are screening your e-mails for breeches in company internet policy. It may be that the reply from the head-hunter could provoke an unwelcome response from your employer Some final thoughts.
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