Whether you are just out of college, unemployed, or looking for another job, you may feel like you need to take action to find a new place of employment. That is a good idea, and completely understandable. So you may start sending out your resume anywhere and everywhere, and applying for dozens or even hundreds of jobs a week. It’s very easy these days to do – all you need to do on sites like Monster.com is set up your resume, click a button or two, and send out your resume to apply for many jobs at once.
You may think it’s a good or even great idea, right? After all, it’s a numbers game, and you should get your name and credentials to as many people as possible, you would think. In fact, some people look at this technique the way people think when they start doing sales – if you send out x amount of resumes, you will get x amount of interviews, and got at least one job out of the search.
Well, that may theoretically help in sales, but according to career coach experts like the Institute for Coaching, it does not always work with finding a job. Sure, you need to be on the hunt for a new place of employment, but as much as it may seem like a good idea at the time, mindlessly sending out resumes is not the answer. In addition, the fact is that sending out 200 resumes in a month, or filling out 200 job applications, is not necessarily better than 50. Here are some of the reasons why:
You may end up applying for jobs you are not qualified for
It is very tempting when you can easily apply for positions to simply send out as many applications as you can. But there is a drawback to such intensity. You end up applying for jobs that you are not qualified for, and you end up wasting your time – and employers’ time. Employers know when you are sending out resumes without bothering to pay attention, and that is not a positive thing to be known for.
You can get discouraged over a lack of response
In addition, when you submit all these resumes or applications, you end up getting discouraged when you don’t hear back. You think to yourself, “I sent out 200 applications for jobs this month, and didn’t hear back from anyone.” And it puts you in a terrible frame of mind to find a job that could be a better fit for you.
You don’t do a good job with the applications that could get you somewhere
When you are sending out so many applications, you simply are not putting the time and energy into each individual application that you could be. This means that you aren’t crafting individualized cover letters for each one, and attaching customized resumes that emphasize how you are the right person for the job. Instead, you may just be sending out generic resumes that don’t make a great impression.
Career coach experts recommend a better way
You should think quality and not quantity when it comes to applying for a job. Career coach professionals say you should really take the time to read the job posting – not many people do – and customize your resume, or fill out the job application, in a way to show that your job skills are a good fit for the posting. Then write a cover letter that shows that you understand what the job is about, and what the company is about. That personal touch could go a long way to helping you find your next job. Good luck.