Many professionals find themselves questioning whether their job search strategy is effective, particularly when they are not receiving the level of response they expected. One of the most common questions I receive relates to whether increasing the volume of applications will improve results.
Dear Sam: I have been applying to a number of roles with very little response, and I am starting to wonder if I should simply increase the number of applications I am submitting. At this point, I am not sure what else to do. — Michael
Dear Michael: Applying to more roles is not likely to change the outcome if the underlying positioning has not been addressed.
In most cases, when a candidate is submitting a high volume of applications without traction, the issue is not effort but alignment. A resume that does not clearly communicate how a candidate’s experience relates to the roles they are targeting requires the hiring manager to interpret that connection, and that rarely happens during an initial review.
A more effective approach is to ensure that the presentation of your experience is clearly aligned with a defined set of roles so that the reader immediately understands the relevance of your background. Once that alignment is established, the number of applications required to generate traction is often significantly reduced.
If this question resonates with your current situation, you are not alone. Much of the work I do centers on ensuring that a candidate’s experience is positioned clearly and effectively for the roles they are targeting.
Samantha Nolan is an Advanced Personal Branding Strategist and Career Expert and founder of Nolan Branding. For more information, visit www.nolanbranding.com or call 614-570-3442.
