Quality Applications

Job searching is exhausting! Especially when you don't hear back from companies you apply to. Some job seekers take a quantity approach to their search, submitting applications through "one click" or "easy apply" options where you upload your resume and call it a day. Though the act of clicking submit might feel productive in the moment, days and weeks later, this approach doesn't often produce the desired result...an invitation to an interview. You might as well call this approach the application or resume blackhole.

This blackhole is where the 100-200+ applications for one open role can go; only a small percentage of them will be recovered. However, there are ways to help your application or resume get to the attention of the hiring team.

Focus on QUALITY Applications

If you want to get a higher response rate on your job applications you're going to need to:

Submit a quality application, then...
Follow-up on that application by reaching out to a human

Reach out to a human to express interest in a role. From there, it's possible they may ask you to apply formally for the role or pass you along to the individual who will help you with next steps. In this scenario you'll find you sometimes don't have to fill out an application until later as you've already connected with the key people who make hiring decisions.

Quality Applications

Job searching is a time consuming process. You often have to make decisions about where you put your energy and time. We recommend that energy and time be put into quality applications.

What makes an application a quality application?

→ Applying to a posting that's been live within the past 2 weeks. The newer a posting is for an open role the more likely it is still in the application review stage. After 2+ business weeks, the likelihood applications have already been reviewed increases. If something was posted in the last 24 hours, try to completely the application ASAP so that you're one of the first candidates in the pool.

→ Applying directly through the company’s website. As you discover opportunities you want to apply for through job boards, take a few minutes to look up the open role on that company's website. Such a step can help you discover more information about the company or role as you look through their "careers" page. This is also the most direct method of ensuring that your application lands right inside a company's box- remove the intermediary website used to discover the opportunity. What is the role isn't posted on their website? Then it's okay to use the platform you discovered it through to apply! Just remember some job boards are web crawlers so it's possible the job board is showing you a dated posting.

→ Have at least 50% of the requirements or preferred qualifications. A job description is a company's wishlist- it's the description of the perfect candidate. The perfect candidate rarely exists, and most companies are often looking for strong candidates. Don't get hung up on ensuring you meet 100% of the job requirements for a role, as cultural fit, team dynamics, and an openness to learn are aspects companies prioritize and measure as they interview you. An company can't invite you to engage with them if you eliminate yourself as a candidate, so, APPLY! If you meet at least half of the requirements on a job description, throw your name in the hat and apply- let them decide if they want to eliminate you from the candidate pool. For the requirements you do have, make sure you emphasize them by...

→ Using a strong and relevant resume to apply. The first few times you apply for open roles you may find yourself tweaking the resume you made in Labs, but don't get caught up on making tweaks to your resume each and every time you apply. Instead, make strong resume versions that can be reused for similar role types and titles. For example, as a Web Developer, you may find yourself with a full stack resume version and a back end one that emphasizes related skills slightly differently. Each version should ultimately capture the keywords and skills that qualify you for related roles.

If you hit all the above points on an application, it's almost a quality app. You're just missing one crucial step to make it even better...

→ Directly connect with a professional at the company through outreach. You've likely heard about applicant tracking systems (ATS), the software used to assist hiring teams process application materials and candidate information. Some of these systems are designed to eliminate candidates before a human looks through them for consideration. Therefore, the best way to try to ensure your application is considered is by reaching out to a human to bring attention to your efforts with a simple LinkedIn connection note or email...

To a recruiter or talent professional at the company saying:

Hi [THEIR NAME], While researching [company name] I noticed you're a [recruiter//talent title] for them. If you have time this week, can we chat about how my skills with [mention skills from job description] match the open [role title] role I applied for? I've attached my resume for your convenience.

To a technical professional saying:

Hi [THEIR NAME], While researching [company name] I noticed you're a [Software Engineer//Data Analyst] for them. If you have time this week, are you open to chatting about your experience at [company]? I recently applied for the [role title], so I'd love your insights.

This note is simple, and asks a question that hopefully prompts a response. The goal is that by sending off such a note, the receiver is curious enough to look up your application and chat with you. In the next module for this course we'll dive in deeper to outreach and more message templates like the ones above. But first, you need to submit a few quality applications so you can follow-up on them!

What about cover letters?

Some of you may be relieved to hear this answer...skip it. While there are a few scenarios in which you shouldn't skip the cover letter, for many of you this step and task is unnecessary. Many students get hung up on cover letters, spending hours trying to perfect and edit a sentence they just can't seem to get right.

Cover letters can be powerful supplementary content for your application, and if you can write one in under 30 minutes, go for it! However, if you find yourself agonizing over an optional cover letter for hours at end, it's time to chat with a career coach in #career_help.

You can find a cover letter guide in MyLambda. Use this guide for the following scenarios:

→ The cover letter is required → An internal employee or talent professional connected to the opportunity advised you to do so → Dream company application or applying to an opportunity that you're so excited about you want to emphasize your interest - stand out → The cover letter won't be a blocker to completing your application - don't let cover letters hold you back from applying

With the last bullet, time box the task of writing a cover letter. Cover letters don't always get read, so if it's optional it's a toss up whether or not it gets read- that's why it's important you don't over index for this job search task. Again, if you can write a letter in a reasonable amount of time (less than 30 minutes), consider attaching one.