Creative capers!
ONE READER in the midst of an intensive job search writes, `I am seriously looking for a job to suit my qualifications and experience. On an average I send out about ten applications every day and it is impossible for me to spend a couple of hours researching about each company, or customizing my résumé for every application. Would it do to learn more about a company after I receive an interview call? It seems such a waste of time and effort to keep changing my résumé for every application when I am not even sure that I will get called for an interview.'
My answer to this question is fairly straight forward: If this is how you conduct a `serious' job search, you might as well sit back and throw your stack of résumé into the trash can, because that is where it is going to end up anyway.
Take it from me; researching about a company and tailoring your résumé for each application is not a waste of time. Half hearted attempts are. Do remember that unless your résumé clearly spells out exactly what the employer is looking for in the first place, chances are you won't get to the interview.
Anyone interested in landing a job at a company should make an effort to understand more about the company, the job and its corporate culture. Your knowledge of the company at a basic level should at least go beyond the brief mentioned in the posting or the `wanted' ad.
Going a step further, applicants who make an extra effort to learn about the style of management, esprit de corps and even the dress code and tailor their résumé accordingly will find themselves having an upper hand, for these are factors that determine how well an applicant might fit in the culture. If you are wondering how you can get access to such information, these pointers will help:
Help acquired
The Internet can provide access to online newspapers, company websites and business magazines as well as links to providers of company/ corporate information. Company websites and brochures typically define a company's vision and mission, a prime indicator of what is important to the company.
These alone however, will not reveal the subtle and more palpable factors that define the culture of a company. You may be able to get more pertinent information by calling/ emailing or visiting the company before applying.
Just visiting the company can tell you a great deal about the company culture (laidback, hectic, energetic, rigid or welcoming, high security etc) and the people who work there (enthusiastic, hassled, energetic, young, old, friendly etc).
When researching the company, look for their history or track record, as well as information about their current and future goals.
Your research should hopefully yield information on matters like who the résumé should be addressed to, how long the company has been in business, their vision, their chief products and services, their major achievements in the past few years, their competitors, the size of the company and job specific information like job responsibilities, skills and qualifications required, etc.,
Once an applicant knows what is important to a company, he can emphasis any experiences that would be compatible with those attitudes. Someone who has a keen interest in white water rafting, for example, would be just the right candidate for a company specializing in adventure tourism and highlighting this particular skill or interest would earn him an interview call right away.
Making an effort to know more about a company before applying will help you highlight in the résumé the appropriate skills and personal characteristics the company requires.
It will reinforce your interest in a position and demonstrate your enthusiasm, resourcefulness and tenacity to a potential employer.
Last but not the least, knowing what some of the expectations of the company are, will also make you feel more comfortable and help you prepare better for the interview.
BINDU SRIDHAR
faqs@cnkonline.com
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