Have you found the company of your dreams, but are there no vacancies? Perhaps you can decorate a job by registering spontaneously.
You will immediately stand out because if you are the only applicant, your resume will not end up in a big pile! Although it can be referred to as the wastepaper basket if you do not do it properly. The tips below will increase your chance of a positive response.
1. Contact the right person
If you spontaneously e-mail a general address such as ‘info@companyname.com’ or ‘hr@companyname.com’, your message will undoubtedly slip through the net. After all, your CV still has a long way to go before it ends up with the right HR employee or manager. Rather, find out who that is for your job domain and e-mail him or her directly. You will find contact details on the company website, via LinkedIn, or in your personal network.
2. Think about the timing
Most executives’ calendars are well filled, and their inboxes are overflowing with e-mails. If you want to attract attention, do it at a quiet moment. So don’t apply on a Monday – often the busiest day of the week – but on a Thursday evening. If you send your application e-mail after office hours, it will be at the top on Friday morning.
3. Provide a clear topic
If you want your mail to be not only noticed but also clicked open, choose a clear subject. State that you are (spontaneously) applying and for which position or department. This way, your contact can immediately see what the message is about and that it is indeed intended for him or her. For example: ‘Spontaneous application marketing’ or ‘CV candidate-employee technical service’. You do not have to submit your name again, it is already listed as the sender.
4. Keep it short
Limit your e-mail to five to ten sentences split into easily scannable paragraphs, and attach your resume. Your contact isn’t really waiting for your message, so don’t take too much of his or her time by elaborating on your work history or listing all of your positive attributes. Simply state that you are interested in a job, why, and let us know you would like to come by for a personal meeting.
So avoid a construction such as: ‘Let me introduce myself. My name is Surname, and I have worked for Company X in recent years. I was active in the technical service there…’
Prefer to get straight to the point: ‘I know that you are regularly looking for motivated technical workers. I am a spontaneous candidate for this.’
5. Focus on the right match
If your contact feels like you’ve sent the same message to ten companies in the area, he or she will be less likely to reply. It must therefore be clear from your short e-mail why you want to work for this one company. For example, make a link with the corporate culture, mention one or two norms or values that you have in common, or refer to an ongoing project that interests you very much.
6. Profile yourself as an asset
Read your e-mail through the eyes of the manager before sending it. ‘What’s in it for me?’ He thinks. You answer that question by briefly mentioning your ambitions within the company or by referring to the knowledge and experience that you bring in. You will undoubtedly also want to learn and grow as a professional, but this is not the time to emphasize that.
7. Don’t give up
Have you not received a response after two weeks? Then contact the person to whom you provided your resume by phone. This way, you can not only check whether he or she has read your message, you also show that you are proactive. If there are no opportunities now, you will still make a good impression and increase your chances in the future.
