Apply with Care: Tips for Job Seekers
Our square footage in Virginia doubled when we moved, and our Durham office is still a few people short of a kickball team. Accordingly, I’m spending a lot of time recruiting for both offices. I love this part of my job in part because I get to tell people how cool it is to work at Viget and they get to tell me what appeals to them about the opportunity. I gush, I learn, and we all feel inspired. Awhile ago Cindy posted 5 informative tips for how to get our attention as an applicant. All 5 tips are timeless – more than a year later they are just as true. I wanted to expand on her first tip to reiterate the importance of making a strong first impression. Here are some more suggestions:
- Reference the job title and job description. If you are specific, we know you are attending to the details and not sending a form letter.
- Make a few explicit connections between the job description and your resume. Explain to us how your experience is specifically relevant. Yes, this is time-consuming; but, it’s a chance for you to demonstrate that you are intelligent and diligent. Think of it as a bit of homework.
- Make reference to our web site, our clients, our work, our culture – anything! A general statement about admiring our company is nice; but, a specific comment on something you saw or read will mean a lot more to us. Tell us what you like and why.
- Be distinctive. Make it easy for us to remember you (for something positive). If you do the first three things right, you won’t have to do anything extra to be distinctive.
- Proofread. Sending an email with typos and sloppy grammar is like coming to an in-person interview with a milk mustache and flip-flops. Proofread and save yourself some embarrassment!
