Unsolicited Application: How Does It Work?
6 October 2011
Read by 3241 persons
64% of employers receive unsolicited applications. Almost half of unsolicited applicants (44%) are invited for a job interview. Do you dream of a job in a particular company? Then don't wait for the job offer tailored for you, send your resume spontaneously!
1. The advantage of an unsolicited application
Sending your resume spontaneously to an employer shows not only great interest in the company, but also initiative, which immediately gives the employer a good image of you.
But that's not all
By spontaneously applying, you may also gain a head start on other candidates. According to the StepStone survey, 26% of recruiters automatically invite interesting candidates for an interview.
Their resumes are kept in a database and are retrieved with priority as soon as a position matching their profile opens up. 37% of employers only receive unsolicited candidates if they have a specific position to fill. But even in this case, it is possible that the offer has not yet been published, and that you will thus beat the competition.
2. What to pay attention to in an unsolicited application?
Provide concrete information
If spontaneously sending your resume has advantages, the downside is that you have no clear indication of what is important from the employer's point of view. The danger is, therefore, that your cover letter will be vague and insignificant. Therefore, make sure you know precisely what the company does, how it works, and what profiles it might potentially be looking for. Ensure that the content of your resume and cover letter is concrete, and adapt it to the company and the position you are targeting.
Show your motivation
Your unsolicited application will make a difference if you clearly state why you would like to work for that specific company. What attracts you so much to the company, its products or services? Does your resume contain elements that indicate a particular affinity with the company or its products? In any case, make sure not to write a standard letter that is no different from hundreds of others.
What makes your application special?
If you apply spontaneously, 26% of employers will only contact you if they highlight something in your profile. Therefore, emphasize in your resume and cover letter the elements that make your application stand out. Perhaps you master a language that few people speak but which may prove useful in the company? Or perhaps you have interesting specific technical or organizational experience? Highlight these qualities and establish a link with what they can mean for the employer.
[1]StepStone survey on recruitment and application behaviors in 2010-2011, conducted with employers and job seekers in 8 European countries.
Stepstone.fr
Posted on October 6, 2011.
