How to Make Your Application 150 Times More Powerful

I want you to read this article 150 times!

I’m serious. I want you to do this because I want you to experience what an employer goes through when reading applications for any vacancies.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself that you’re not going to read anything 150 times, because you’ll be reading the SAME thing over and over again! And that’s exactly the point. Plus or minus 10%, most applications for a job are identical. Just the names and dates are a little different.

Essentially they all say the same things… “I’m good with people,” “I’m willing to learn.” Additionally, most applicants will have roughly the same skills because most people only apply for jobs they think have the skills to do.

How can I say this? At our office in Australia, we see hundreds of applications every week, and unfortunately, they all look the same – except for a few. And it’s these few that we call in for an interview.

Think about that. If you were an employer, do you want an employee that is simply one of the crowd or do you want someone that STANDS OUT from the crowd?

I could tell you right now how your application probably starts:

“I’m writing an application for the position advertised in….”

Or maybe you’re more creative…

“Your ad in Saturday’s paper really excited me….”

As we’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, the reason why your application probably looks like every other application is you learned how to write applications at school or college along with every other student. Now it’s time to consider a different approach – following are some examples of highly successful application openings which resulted in interviews.

“5 key areas where I can help you increase your sales.” (Salesperson for music store)

“I want you to imagine your customers loading their cars with plants by the bootfull… and what’s more they vow to come back for more.” (Assistant at a plant nursery)

“Genius for hire.” (Short-term programmer position)

The point here is you want to start your letters with a powerful opening that makes the employer sit up and take notice. Remember that an employer is only interested in what you can do for them.

You could be excused for thinking that these openings are over the top, but I can assure you that if you begin to use the language of your employer, your application will immediately become 150 times more exciting to an employer.

by Acland Brierty

Acland’s book, Job Secrets Revealed includes many before and after examples of applications and cover letters showing how readers have taken their me-too applications and made them instantly more exciting. You’ll be able to copy from them and use their phrasing when you have the book!