Picture this: it’s Sunday morning and you are sipping coffee while sifting through the job postings on LinkedIn. One of them catches your eye. You read it again. It looks like it could be just the thing to jazz up your career and your life.
LinkedIn has made it pretty easy to apply for jobs. In many cases, you can apply with just your profile. You just click apply and boom, it’s done.
If you fit the hiring criteria perfectly, you might even get a response. Or you might get lost in the pile with all the other folks who think they too, are perfect candidates.
Can I suggest taking a step back? If it is something that really does look right for you, take a moment and put some thought into the process.
Would you go to a networking event without checking for lettuce in your teeth? Of course not.
Follow the links around the posting. Is there someone you know who works there? How well do you know them? Would they talk with you about the company? Would they be open to passing your resume along with their endorsement?
Do you know something special about the industry or the company that would set you apart from other candidates? That sort of thing can be put into a brief email and sent directly to the job poster or right to the President.
There is nothing wrong with just applying for the job, but if you really want it, you might want spend some time thinking about how to make the best impression.