Dealing with the Competition

Applying for work within the visible market means facing up to competition. The amount of competition you have to deal with depends how good the job is, as well as how widely it has been advertised. Where there is a high level of competition, being suitable for a job is no guarantee that you will get an interview.

To make your application stand out from the crowd, you need to follow these guidelines:

Follow the Instructions

At the end of every advert, you will find instructions on how to apply. These instructions usually include:

• The way that an application should be made; for example, a current CV together with an accompanying letter.
• How your application should be submitted - by post, fax, or email. You may also need to phone and request an application form to be sent to you.
• The name of the person to whom your application should be sent.
• Any references you should quote.
• The closing date for applications.

The most important factor to note here is that these instructions must be followed to the letter - don't substitute your own ideas on what you think they'd prefer. With so many applicants for each post, employers can afford to ignore those candidates that don't follow the rules.

Bring Out Your Skills

This means bringing out your skills with regard to each particular job application - not what you see as your skills generally. For example, you may have had a great deal of experience with a particular financial software package but this won't impress an employer who uses a completely different package. Try to see each job application as a fresh challenge.

Skills are the matches between what the employer is looking for and what you have to offer. It could be that you hold a particular qualification, be adept at using a particular software package, or have extensive experience in leading a team. The clues to these matches can be found in the advert itself - in what employers have to say about themselves, in what they see as desirable attributes in candidates, and in what prerequisites they state for the position. Take a look at our article on Adapting Your CV for further help on searching the advert for clues.

At the application stage, you normally have three ways of bringing your strong points to the attention of an employer:

• In Your Application Form
  Most firms have standard application forms and there's a fair chance you could be asked to complete one at the early stages of an application - before you know whether you've been granted an interview or not. These forms usually have a section headed 'Any other information you wish to add in support of your application'. Use these sections to list your strong points.
• In Your C.V.
  If you keep a copy of your CV stored on disk, then adapting it should be fairly easy. You need to highlight your skills - without breaking the rule about keeping your CV short and concise. This may mean taking out some cherished piece of information to make the necessary space, but don't worry - the skill that you have put in its place will have given you a much greater chance of being selected for an interview.
• In Your Cover Letters
  The covering letter you send in accompanying your C.V. is another place to get across your strong points and to elaborate on information provided in your C.V. Don't worry about repeating what's already in your C.V.

Use Their Words

Try to phrase your application in their words as much as possible. Put your own preferences to one side and try to use the same buzzwords and jargon as the employer has in the advert.

This also means that if they have mentioned that they need someone who has B.Eng. degree in Mechanical Engineering, 8-10 years of marketing experience and working knowledge of foreign markets, you should make sure you specifically mention these skills and how you fulfil them in your response.