Targeting a company with a speculative CV
Saturday, March 8th, 2008
Many jobseekers are reactive when it comes to job hunting. When I say this I mean is that they rely on recruitment agencies or job board and sit back and wait for the interviews to roll in. Great if it is working (there are some great job boards in Ireland) but what if you are not experiencing positive results. You have a number of options;
1. Keep doing the same thing – BUT you will keep getting the same results!!
2. Try a different approach when dealing with agencies or search the job boards.
3. Try a proactive approach.
What is proactive job hunting?
There are a number of possible strategies available including speculative CV’s. Here are some tips if you are following this strategy.
Take a focused approach –target an industry sector or a geography region. Approaching this strategy in an ad hoc manner can prove fruitless.
Bypass HR – Sending a speculative CV to Human Resources can prove a waste of time. Although recruitment is managed by the department they may not be completely aware of what is happening in departments. For example the Finance Manager may know that an accountant has just handed in notice or that it has been agreed with the Directors to increase headcount and this information has not reached HR.
Focused cover letter – A generic cover letter will lose impact. Find out the name of the department manager and address it to him/her directly.
Follow Up – Follow up with the person you have sent the CV to. Prepare short sales pitch for the call.
This article was provide by Paul Mullan a CV expert in Ireland.
