Why You Need To Apply.

I couldn’t sleep. Woke up at 3:30 am to write this. Spoke to several candidates yesterday, and all week about their job prospects, one in particular was so passionate about the work, but he felt he lacked the technical expertise. Truth be told: the organization will teach you the ropes (the specifics), but bring your strong work ethic, values and passion for going above and beyond. Here’s some thoughts.

The Big If
If you have extensive experience in the subject matter such as working with college students, ie recruitment, retention and advising, then apply for the position. This includes extracurricular activities, etc. This goes for everything else, ie healthcare policy, education management, sales & marketing etc. Majority skill sets are trainable. Some need you to hit the ground running, and others will train you up to get there. The interviewing committee and the boss will ultimately decide if they want you or not. Don’t preempt that decision. 

The One Page Cover Letter
A cover letter should be limited to one page (exception is the CV). Many of us have a limited attention span. Describe through your words your passion in the area you’re applying for, ie have curiously taken computers apart and putting them back together. In a nutshell detail a sense of your character, work ethics, and main reason for applying. Ask yourself as you write, what can I contribute. The most important reason, the very justification and your intent will be in the first two or three sentences. Remember BLUF short for “Bottom Line Up Front.” Make it friendly to read, ie font type, font size, and one page.

Your Life. Your Resume.
You guessed it. One page. That’s it. Your name and contact info, first. Summary of Qualifications, second (3-bullets). Professional Work Experience, third. Languages, fourth (being bilingual you’ll be able to communicate to two markets). Professional References, last. By this section you should have about 3-4 lines left (if you’ve been busy). Keep it short: name, title/organization (ie in what capacity do you know this person), and direct phone number. If you don’t already have a LinkedIn account, I recommend you start one today, especially since millions all over the world are in this big fat address book. Know that many recruiters use it to find and screen candidates. Still not convinced? Entrepreneur and author, Guy Kawasaki put it succinctly in Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn.

Our Digital World.
Many companies/organizations take applications online (your reading this online, right?). If this is the case, same thing, upload to system and submit. If you have to copy/paste you’ll have some leverage, ie 2,000 words for resume. Treat the online system the same as the printed. It will be read by the same folks in HR. 

Make Every Word Count. Gettysburg Address.
On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address composed of 272 words in two, three minutes. This followed the main speech that lasted two hours. While we don’t remember the two hour speech, we remember what’s timely, what’s concise, what’s coherent and redefining. That’s what your audience, your interviewing committee is looking for. Tailor everything you submit forward for the occassion. Pay attention to the detail. Be yourself. You’ll do just fine. We’re confident in your abilities.

David Molina is one of the co-founders of BilingualHire. He can be reached at: +1 (503) 512-8431 or email.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!