Secrets of a successful job application

<h1>Secrets of a successful job application</h1>Author: <a title="Kate Sullivan" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/kate-sullivan/171426.htm">Kate Sullivan</a> Have you ever wondered what it is about your job application that determines whether or not you will make it to the interview stage? A common belief held by many is that a well organised CV is what gives you the competitive advantage when applying for a particular job. But is that all?  A Masters University Student working with <a href="http://www.oconnell.eu">O’Connell Marketing Recruitment </a>recently researched the factors that make an applicant more successful in the selection process. Although a disorganised CV of 15 pages long may cause frustration for the recruiter, other factors play a much larger role in taking the applicant to the next stage in the recruitment process. The following aspects play a huge role:  <ul> <li>Current location – The further away the applicant lives from the actual job location, the less likely s/he has to being selected. This is often due to the fact that employers are unwilling to pay for travel expenses, or are unwilling to sort out any visa/work permit issues. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Too experienced - Individuals who apply for positions that are too junior for them are often turned away because they are over-experienced. Companies and particularly recruitment firms are looking for professionals who are ready to make their next step forward, not back. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Industry – Believe it or not, a match between job functions is not as important as an industry match. In this case an individual has a much better chance of being selected. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Salary – The applicant’s current salary can also be a deciding factor when considering them for a job. The closer the match between the applicant’s current salary and the salary of the job s/he is applying for the better. It’s not uncommon for a recruiter to label an applicant “too expensive”. </li> </ul>   <h3>In light of the above findings, what can you do to make your application stand out from the crowd?</h3>   <ul> <li>Apply for jobs that are at your level or could be your next step. If you are after a job with less stress, then perhaps changing your work environment to something a little less fast-paced or going part-time would be a better option. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Don’t exaggerate your salary expectations. This is not a time to get greedy as you may be labelled as “too expensive” and your application won’t be taken any further.</li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Try to get different industry experience early on in your career, as the longer you stay in the one industry, the harder it is to get out. This of course isn’t a problem if it’s where you want to be. </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>If you really want a job in a country where you don’t reside, look into options for visas and work permits first and organise something in advance if you can. If possible, make the move to a country first to show your commitment to re-locate. </li> </ul>  About the Author: Kate works for O'Connell Marketing Recruitment, an international recruitment firm specialising in Marketing, Communications and Public Relations jobs in Europe <a href="http://www.oconnell.eu" target="_blank">www.oconnell.eu</a>

Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/secrets-of-a-successful-job-application-1019760.html" title="Secrets of a successful job application">Secrets of a successful job application</a>

Have you ever wondered what it is about your job application that determines whether or not you will make it to the interview stage? A common belief held by many is that a well organised CV is what gives you the competitive advantage when applying for a particular job. But is that all?

A Masters University Student working with O’Connell Marketing Recruitment recently researched the factors that make an applicant more successful in the selection process.

Although a disorganised CV of 15 pages long may cause frustration for the recruiter, other factors play a much larger role in taking the applicant to the next stage in the recruitment process. The following aspects play a huge role:

Current location – The further away the applicant lives from the actual job location, the less likely s/he has to being selected. This is often due to the fact that employers are unwilling to pay for travel expenses, or are unwilling to sort out any visa/work permit issues.

Too experienced - Individuals who apply for positions that are too junior for them are often turned away because they are over-experienced. Companies and particularly recruitment firms are looking for professionals who are ready to make their next step forward, not back.

Industry – Believe it or not, a match between job functions is not as important as an industry match. In this case an individual has a much better chance of being selected.

Salary – The applicant’s current salary can also be a deciding factor when considering them for a job. The closer the match between the applicant’s current salary and the salary of the job s/he is applying for the better. It’s not uncommon for a recruiter to label an applicant “too expensive”.

In light of the above findings, what can you do to make your application stand out from the crowd?

Apply for jobs that are at your level or could be your next step. If you are after a job with less stress, then perhaps changing your work environment to something a little less fast-paced or going part-time would be a better option.

Don’t exaggerate your salary expectations. This is not a time to get greedy as you may be labelled as “too expensive” and your application won’t be taken any further.

Try to get different industry experience early on in your career, as the longer you stay in the one industry, the harder it is to get out. This of course isn’t a problem if it’s where you want to be.

If you really want a job in a country where you don’t reside, look into options for visas and work permits first and organise something in advance if you can. If possible, make the move to a country first to show your commitment to re-locate.

Kate works for O'Connell Marketing Recruitment, an international recruitment firm specialising in Marketing, Communications and Public Relations jobs in Europe www.oconnell.eu

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/secrets-of-a-successful-job-application-1019760.html

Article Tags: Apply, Career, Job, Employment, Successful, Job Application

Related Videos
Related Articles
Ask / Related Q&A

Play

How to Handle Salary Questions on Job Applications

Play

How to Job Hunt - Networking Tips

Play

How to Job Hunt - Learn how to Write a Modern Day Resume

Play

How to Job Hunt - Interviewing

Play

How to Job Hunt - Salary Negotiating

1. Neil (17:13, 20.07.2009)

Not hiring someone on the grounds that they are "too experienced" is tantamount to age discrimination, and could be interpreted that way in court. It should not be up to the employer to decide whether a prospective employee wants to "take a step back" in his or her career. In these cases it could be argued that the employee could hit the floor running much quicker than a more junior candidate.
When a job is advertised as "requiring at least 5 years experience",for example, this could also be interpreted as discriminatory against younger, yet qualified and capable, candidates.

Latest Careers Articles
More from Kate Sullivan

Top Professional Resume Services

By: Jason Kay | 22/12/2009
If you're one of the millions who are unemployed or under-employed, the prospect of writing a resume can be paralyzing and may even cost you previous time in the job search process. To the rescue are professional resume services like the ones below that create top-notch resumes for people across...

Common Resume Blunders

By: Jason Kay | 22/12/2009
It seems pretty straightforward: list your job history, education, and maybe some awards. Voila-you have a resume. Unfortunately, writing a great resume is an art form rather than a cut-and-paste job, which is why so many resumes are, well, pretty awful. The bad news is that people often make the...

Top 10 Ways to Tell If You Have What it Takes to Work From Home

By: Diana Barnum | 22/12/2009
Working from home is a lucrative option for many. It entails several advantages that you will not get if you have to be in office working under your boss. And there are many home business opportunities available nowadays due to the rising demand of options in this field and the...

Exploring Careers in Graphic Design

By: Brian Scott | 22/12/2009
The field of graphic design is very broad. Designers create multimedia for news stations, commercials, movies, and TV shows. Designers also create graphics for website pages and in cartoon productions. Determine what type of graphic design career you'd like to pursue. You also have other options related to graphic design --...

10 days to the next decade... what do YOU have in store?

By: Martinact420 | 22/12/2009
There's a bit of a big deal coming up in 10 days... It's not only a new year, but a brand new DECADE. That's a big word! Most of us only get to enjoy a handful of decades. 10 at best. I know among my friends, there's a lot of planning going on for how to party for New Years Eve... which basically is just a handful of different versions of getting together with friends, getting dolled up and then getting liquored. That's the basic plot.

Employment Questions and Answers

By: isfaq | 22/12/2009
Are There Legitimate Work From Home Jobs? Am interested in working for a work from home job to supplement my part-time post at night. Possibly in booking. Any information would be helpful. I hold looked on the internet they are are scams they want our money. The only one work from home is better...

Jobs In The Australian IT Industry

By: Dexter Nicholson | 22/12/2009
Contrary to the popular notion that the IT industry is only relegated to directly working and tinkering with computers, the industry is in fact very much required for every other business sectors. And workers need not to have comprehensive technical understanding of how a computer works in order to go into the industry. In fact, many of the positions offered require only minimal skills, with training on how to use these systems provided for by companies themselves.

Getting Freelance Graphic Design Clients

By: Brian Scott | 21/12/2009
Are you interested in becoming successful graphic designer or graphic artist with a strong, limitless client base? Whether you are principal of your own small design firm, or you freelance part-time or full-time as graphic designer, your main goal should be to create a strong and steady base of clients....

The changing face of recruitment "The Perfect Match"

By: Kate Sullivan | 27/11/2009 | Business
With 2009 being a tough economic climate for everyone, how has this downturn impacted on the recruitment industry? Paula O'Connell, Director of a specialist marketing search firm based in Europe, gives her perspective on the changing face of international recruitment in Europe.

7 Questions you should consider when doing a reference check!

By: Kate Sullivan | 11/08/2009 | Recruitment
Beyond the typical reference check questions such as ‘What was their reason for leaving?’ and ‘What position did they hold?’, there ARE ways to dig deeper to discover more about your potential new employee. Here are some suggestions..

CV Bloopers!

By: Kate Sullivan | 05/08/2009 | Resumes
What you shouldn't include in your CV! There's just some things you don't need to say. Seriously...knowing your cat snores is not going to give you a competive advantage when selecting people for a job interview.

Interested in working for a Global Financial Services company in the Netherlands?

By: Kate Sullivan | 29/07/2009 | Careers
Some of the world’s top financial institutions have hailed from the Netherlands, making it an interesting market for marketing and communications professionals looking for a position in the financial services industry. What are the Career Challenges faced by Marketing and Communications professionals? What can these professionals expect in terms of salary? Read on to find out more...

Interview with Gary Raucher - Top Marketing Communications professional from Philips

By: Kate Sullivan | 29/07/2009 | Interviews
Meet Gary Roucher, Vice President and Head of Integrated Marketing Communications for Philips Consumer Lifestyle. Gary has been part of the corporate change at Philips, implementing the sense and simplicity campaign for the consumer products and restructuring the way marketing communications works. We asked him about his career, the challenges he's worked on at Philips and a little bit about who he is.

Who else knows the best way to get a pay rise?

By: Kate Sullivan | 21/07/2009 | Careers
That dreaded 'payrise' conversation is coming up and you're going to have to pull out all your tricks to gain that payrise you deserve. Read on to learn some strategies that will make this conversation go more in your favour...

How to develop your CV for a job in Europe!

By: Kate Sullivan | 15/07/2009 | Resumes
There are many different points of view on what constitutes a good CV. With differences varying between countries, from page length through to educational summary and employment information, how do you know what to include? We have outlined the standard that international businesses expect across most of Europe…

Hear what this top internal communications professional from ING has to say!

By: Kate Sullivan | 15/07/2009 | International Business
We speak to Ruth on her passion for internal communications, how she’s grown her career to date and her thoughts on the challenges in developing and implementing global internal communications programs.