Three Ways to Spice Up Your Job Application

​By Holli Phillips

So, you think that you have the greatest resume and cover letter, right? And that resume is going to land you your dream job because you’ve worked so hard with school, internships and have been involved a lot on campus? What if I told you that you were wrong? The beautiful resume you have put so much time and effort into creating could be spiced up a little bit says Danny Rubin, author of “Wait, How Do I Write This Email?”
 
Rubin spoke at the PRSSA National Conference because he is full of advice for Millennials. During his session, “How to Write a Killer Job Application”, he gave us great advice on how to write a job application that stands out to employers. There are three main points that fall under spicin’ up your application:
 
1.       QUANTIFY, QUANTIFY, QUANTIFY.
Rubin says people are often vague in their resumes and cover letters. Avoid using words such as: large, big, etc. BE SPECIFIC and give real numbers, you want to make it seem like no one else has your track of success. This will make you stand out to employers because you show how much you can really handle.

2.       DO YOUR RESEARCH. Crush their expectations
Make sure when you are emailing companies, you have previously done research on them. You want the email to seem personalized, showing that you are truly interested in the company itself. Research their blogs, press releases and current issues; you can include some of this information in your cover letter and this research will come in handy when you land that interview. Research is a compliment to a company; it makes them feel as if they are special to you. This will make the company gain interest in you.

3.       THE INCREDIBLE POWER OF A “STORYTELLING” COVER LETTER.
Rubin said, “Learn to tell your story, and doors will open.” Stories are like magic, they paint a picture for the employer and show how creative you can be. Don’t start with “Hi, my name is…” create something original, something that will make them remember you. Write a story about a difficult situation you overcame; include the problem, the process of fixing it, and the solution. Rubin says that from now on, your cover letter will be 10x better than any other applicants.
 
These three points will help you stand out to future employers. Now you can land that dream job if you utilize this information. Rubin says employers “Hire character, train skill,” so start telling your story.

​Holli Phillips is a sophomore public relations major at Kent State. Contact her at [email protected].

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