Sending CV's/Letters on spec
Discussion
Is there any benefits of cold contact companies with cv's and letters even if their isn't actually a job advertised?
Most of the jobs I'm looking at are advertised through agencies and as I don't have the relevant experience in the field, I seem to be getting overlooked despite my other experience and skills which I know are desirable.
I know it wouldn't hurt but does any HR department or manager even look at cv's that just land on their desk?
Most of the jobs I'm looking at are advertised through agencies and as I don't have the relevant experience in the field, I seem to be getting overlooked despite my other experience and skills which I know are desirable.
I know it wouldn't hurt but does any HR department or manager even look at cv's that just land on their desk?
TurricanII said:
...
One other pearler of advice I spotted on PH is as follows: don't apply for jobs. When a job is advertised there is a whole ballache of a process for employers, plus you are one applicant of many.
Identify as many possible companies as you can and read their websites. Write a custom cover letter to each. I would address it to the MD for smaller firms and possibly to the support manager for the mid to large firms. I would include some common spiel along the lines of "I understand that advertising a job or paying recruitment agencies, filtering hundreds of C.V.'s and interviewing are costly for a busy company. Having read your website and read about your products on xyz website I feel that I would very much enjoy working on your support team providing the best service support to your clients. I include my C.V. for consideration in the event that you may need an additional support/network person, and would very much like to pop in for an interview at your convenience if appropriate."
I am an employer (albeit small company) and if someone could be bothered to write to me for a job, considering my needs, and saving me the hassle listed above, then I would invite them for a coffee at least (and have done this). But it has only happened a few times in ten years. There have been periods of months where we could do with a support engineer but my co-director and I put it off - and someone taking the above approach would have at least gotten a few months trial. Edited to add - I invite other PH'ers to refine my above advice, it is not perfect! I took on a soon to be college leaver in Feb 2012 after he wrote to us.
One other pearler of advice I spotted on PH is as follows: don't apply for jobs. When a job is advertised there is a whole ballache of a process for employers, plus you are one applicant of many.
Identify as many possible companies as you can and read their websites. Write a custom cover letter to each. I would address it to the MD for smaller firms and possibly to the support manager for the mid to large firms. I would include some common spiel along the lines of "I understand that advertising a job or paying recruitment agencies, filtering hundreds of C.V.'s and interviewing are costly for a busy company. Having read your website and read about your products on xyz website I feel that I would very much enjoy working on your support team providing the best service support to your clients. I include my C.V. for consideration in the event that you may need an additional support/network person, and would very much like to pop in for an interview at your convenience if appropriate."
I am an employer (albeit small company) and if someone could be bothered to write to me for a job, considering my needs, and saving me the hassle listed above, then I would invite them for a coffee at least (and have done this). But it has only happened a few times in ten years. There have been periods of months where we could do with a support engineer but my co-director and I put it off - and someone taking the above approach would have at least gotten a few months trial. Edited to add - I invite other PH'ers to refine my above advice, it is not perfect! I took on a soon to be college leaver in Feb 2012 after he wrote to us.
That's how I got my current job, I looked for a good contact on LinkedIn to bypass any HR, as it happened the CEO was on there and I guessed at his email address, and got a reply about a week later
I did it to a few places where I thought I might be able to do some good with my skills and experience, and listed out what I thought those outcomes might be if they hired me.
A few replied swaying thanks no thanks, some didnt reply at all, others came back to me offering time for a chat to see where things might lead.
No harm in doing it, but avoid the 'got any jobs going' approach
I did it to a few places where I thought I might be able to do some good with my skills and experience, and listed out what I thought those outcomes might be if they hired me.
A few replied swaying thanks no thanks, some didnt reply at all, others came back to me offering time for a chat to see where things might lead.
No harm in doing it, but avoid the 'got any jobs going' approach
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