Only 1.74% of graduates ever pick up the phone for a job application.
A large portion of my job involves going through people’s resumes, assessing their suitability for particular roles and getting back to them to invite them for an interview or to let them know that they were unsuccessful on this occasion.
There are many different ways that we get access to candidates and sometimes a search for a suitable candidate can take 10 minutes, other times it can take all day!
One of the more well-known ways for sourcing candidates and one part of our strategy is to advertise on the various job boards, social media outlets as well as our website. Depending on the role, how well the ad is written and even what day/time is posted (apparently Tuesday night is the most popular time), a consultant like myself can end up with 3 applicants or in the case of my recent ad, 115!
115 applications for the same role to work in a sales environment that requires relationship building and engagement with a range of different stakeholders.
Out of the 115 applicants how many decided to pick up the phone and actually call me about the role…?
….. 2 …..!!
How would you stand out?
Another role I advertised was for a “Junior Consultant” to join our Optimum Consulting team. I was pleasantly surprised with how many people applied, which lead to my hopes being buoyed that I would come across a number of talented candidates, which I did!
However, being a grad with very little experience and a similar degree to a lot of the other applicants, looking for any way that you can to stand out from the crowd and make an impression goes a long way.
Would you simply submit the application and hope for the best?
Why not show some curiosity, initiative and energy by following up the application with a phone call as well. Or perhaps even pre-empt the application with a phone call and a few questions to ensure the role was right for you, then send it directly to the hiring manager.
If I were a graduate applying for a role as a consultant within a HR/Recruitment firm where a large proportion of the job requires either face-to-face or phone interaction, I would pick up the phone and do my best to speak with the hiring manager. This kind of initiative certainly makes you stand out from the get go.
Is a follow up or pre-emptive phone call dead?
Maybe I’m asking too much.
Maybe I should have recognised the audience that I was appealing to and put my twitter handle or snapchat details on the job ad rather than a direct landline.
Maybe job seekers simply need to think about the role that they are applying for and appeal to the hiring manager more?
Perhaps I’m getting too old, even before I hit 30. I would’ve thought that a phone call was the least that someone could do, but with the most impact.
Or perhaps I, and the 1.74% of the applicants I receive, are just wrong? #callme #sorrynotsorry #yolo
Isaac Dufficy – Executive Consultant, Group Solutions