How many jobs have you applied for in the last few weeks — one, ten, or 110? And how many have responded to your emails — zero?
Sending off online applications can feel like you’re throwing hard work into a dark, abysmal black hole. Marketing is a competitive field, and you’re up against hundreds of others in the industry. How can you tell if the marketing managers see your applications?
There’s no way of confirming. You could try following up, but these people are busy, they may not have the time to email every applicant.
While it’s stressful and time-consuming to apply for job after job, there are ways to make sure your application stands out from the others. Marketing and hiring managers look for specific qualities in resumes. Read on to discover what those qualities are and how to incorporate them into your resume.
1. Provide Online Samples of Your Work:
If you say that you’re an excellent copywriter, prove it! Provide tangible evidence of your work so hiring managers can quickly get a sense of your style and skill level.
Your best bet is to create a personal website where people can easily look through your portfolio, but if you currently don’t have one, provide a link to live samples instead. Include the link within the body of the resume, at the top, with the rest of your contact information.
2. Keep It Simple:
When it comes to submitting applications, make sure that your marketing cover letter is as professional and personalized as possible. If you do not know how you should write one, it is best to take help from experts that can help you craft the most successful marketing cover letters.
Hiring managers like nothing more than receiving a one-page resume to review. Anything longer can become tiring, and there’s a high chance they won’t even look beyond the first page.
If you can’t fit everything into the first page of a resume, there’s too much unnecessary information. Marketing professionals want to see:
- Your Name and Contact Info
- Educational Credentials
- Previous Work Experience
- Relevant Skills
You can briefly outline your roles and responsibilities at each former job, but the bulk of this will go in your cover letter. And, even better — during the interview.
One sentence or two for each job you’ve had is all you need to include in the resume. The point is to show a future employer that you’re capable of condensing information and convey the necessary skills and experience for the position in question. There’s no need to write a novel about each role you’ve had.
3. Custom Design:
Show hiring managers what you’re made of and custom-design your resume. Are you a graphic designer? Create a unique template that only you could design. Get creative with the presentation. For example, promote yourself by turning your resume into an advertisement in the style of the company. Managers will notice this and want to learn more about you.
4. Work With a Recruitment Agency:
To save yourself the pain of sending what feels like 100 resumes to hiring managers, work with a professional marketing recruitment agency. There are so many benefits of working with marketing recruiters — from getting one-on-one advice about resumes and cover letters to getting an insider’s look into marketing positions you didn’t even know existed. A recruiter will tailor your resume and help you find the job that you deserve.
With a little help and a lot of patience, you’ll land that dream job in no time.
