We have had a director level position open in my department for over a year now. This week, we were finally able to bring in 4 good candidates for in person interviews. We expect to make an offer next week.

As the Operations and Administrative Programs manager for my department, I have been heavily involved in this process. It’s really the first time that I have been involved in the hiring process from beginning to end, being part of all steps along the way. I have learned a lot from this process as well as having small parts in other hiring decisions over the last 2 years in my department.

Here is a basic primer of what I have learned about the initial application process. (Be aware that I am not an HR professional and the below are my opinions, and my opinions only. Other people may disagree.)

 

1)      The lower level the position, the more important the cover letter.

When you’re applying for an Admin position, you need something to differentiate yourself. There are literally hundreds of people applying for the position, and they are all likely just as qualified for the position as you are. In that sense, a cover letter matters. You get to show off your writing skills and your understanding of what the hiring manager is looking for. Do not go generic. Write each letter specifically for the company and the job description you are applying to.

By the time you are at the director level, though, the cover letter isn’t as important. In over a year of having the position open, we probably had less than 20 qualified people apply. In this case, it’s much more important to have your resume reflect what the position requires.

2)      Four page resumes are never okay

Unless you are in academia or a research position where it is accepted practice for your CV to mention EVERYTHING (especially any publishing credits), no one really wants to read a four page resume. And maybe that’s the clue. If your industry wants CVs, then have something as long as you need. If you are submitting a resume, please keep it short.

I honestly prefer one page resumes, but by the time you are looking at director level positions, two pages are often needed to be able to show the majority of relevant experience. But you should know how to limit things to relevant experience. You do NOT have to include your entire work history. I include about 10 years on mine. But if you have 20 years of experience in a field, you may want to include all that history. Still, when you’re applying for the director level position in a department, while you may want to show that you started in an entry level position in that field, you do not need to list all your duties and accomplishments. Just list the job and the dates.

Remember, the person who is reading your resume has a ton of other things they need to get done. Give them what they need to know in the most efficient way possible.

3)      Don’t include references unless they are asked for

This is mostly to avoid accidental use of paper. Until the hiring manager is ready to make an offer, they won’t even look at your references. Their goal is to make a hiring decision based on your experience, not who you know.

Still, we all know that who you know can often get you the interview (if not the job), and I have no issues with people using their contacts to get their foot in the door. If you know someone who works in the department or whose name would be known to the hiring manger (and their opinion would actually sway the hiring manager), you have two options.

The first is to write a cover letter and mention that that person perhaps suggested you apply for the job, or something along those lines. However, having the name in a cover letter may not insure that your resume makes it through an automated application system.

The way to get your resume in front of the hiring manager is to reach out to your contact and let them know that you applied for the position. If they really do believe you would be a good candidate for the job, they will mention it to the hiring manager (or the person who does the first look at resumes). This will also mean that if the system doesn’t auto send your resume through, the hiring manager will ask about it and get it forced through the system.

At the same time, make sure you are not only qualified for the position, but that your resume reflects that. We had a manger who spoke up for someone who applied. We had their application forced through the system based on her recommendation. But the resume showed almost no experience in the field for which we were hiring. In fact, the person didn’t have either of the certifications the position required.

When the manager called me to ask if we had taken a look at this person’s resume, I had to tell her that what we got in no way indicated the person was qualified for the job. I did it as nicely as possible, but she put herself out there, put her reputation on the line for this person who did not put their best foot forward. Guess who is never recommending that person again.

 

To sum up- differentiate yourself, keep it short and sweet, and don’t abuse your contacts. It seems simple, but lots (and I mean lots) of job applicants don’t seem to know it.

 

What are your tips for getting your resume noticed (and read) by a hiring manager?