So you missed the job application deadline…Apply for it anyway!

It is closing onto midnight and your eyes are half closed as you mind-numbingly scroll through the endless list of jobs on your favourite job seeking website. Suddenly something catches your eye! Can it be? IT IS! The perfect position that you’ve been dreaming of! You’re filled with excitement as you gloss over the selection criteria: qualifications- check, experience- check, location- check, availability- check. And then you reach the application details and your heart sinks. Closing date... yesterday.

Before you melt into a puddle of disappointment, it’s not the end of the world! The reason why the closing date is there is because the employer will need to start selecting potential candidates at some point and likely have internal processes and systems to adhere to, but they aren’t going to decide who gets the job as soon as the clock ticks over the specific time and date necessarily.

While it is best to get your application in before the specified date it’s important to realise the employer is going to want to hire the candidate who expresses the most interest and enthusiasm with the best job-fit, not whoever waltzes through first. Many human resource managers agree that it’s worth submitting an application even after the deadline. Unless strictly stated that they will not accept applications after the date (e.g. some government departments or large organisations), apply for the job anyway!

Here are some handy tips for applying after the deadline:

Call someone: Definitely get in touch with the contact person or the hiring manager listed on the job ad. Express your genuine interest for the position, and rather than ASK if it’s still okay to send in an application. TELL the person that you are very interested in the role advertised and you would truly appreciate the opportunity to send through an application.

Once you have called ahead, the hiring person is going to be anticipating your application. Send it in as soon as you can. Ensure you thank them for their consideration.

Be honest in the cover letter: They know you’ve applied late, might as well own up to it. Remind the hiring person you’ve already spoken to them; this may even put yourself ahead of other candidates, as it’s much easier to remember a personified applicant over a piece of paper. Tell them that you only discovered the role through a network/colleague past the deadline, or that you were told about the position by a colleague late, or whatever other reason. It is important to be honest and thankful for their time and consideration.

Consider a special delivery: Hand delivering an application may be an effective way to get your foot in the door. Going in person can have many advantages over submitting an application, such as, the opportunity to speak directly to the decision maker, and getting a feel for the organisation you want to work with. And who knows, you might just catch them at a good time and land an on-the-spot interview! Even if they are adamant in keeping to the deadline, you might learn about upcoming job openings. This could give you an advantage over other applicants as you are in a great position to detail your interest right then and there to a potential future employer.

If it’s that particular company or organisation that you love and missed an opportunity with, leave them an application for future openings. They might contact you sooner than you think!

Move on and forward: If you have tried all you can in applying but are still unable to land that dream job, try and view the experience as a positive one.  You have made another contact and are now aware of another organisation to keep an eye on and one to keep in contact with. Use this knowledge to research other similar organisations that may have roles like the one you just missed out on. 

Career Comparison – Reasons why job hunting while employed is essential

Searching for potential job opportunities whilst working can seem like an unnecessary activity at times. It requires you to be thinking about many different factors - your current position, financial change and employment availability within your profession among other stressors. You need to use your personal time to be on the lookout for job opportunities. This is one of the reasons individuals become accustomed to their work lives as it begins to develop into an established routine. It is very easy to find yourself in the same position for many years without knowing what other opportunities are out there. However, being on the lookout puts you at an advantage over your colleagues, and indeed everyone within your industry as work trends show that we move jobs more often and several professions become more competitive than before. For these reasons and more it’s important to stay ahead of the game and keep hunting, and we will show you the best way to balance a work life and a keen job seeking eye!

1.    Being aware of your industry employment status 

Every industry differs in terms of job availability. If your industry is facing low job demand this could suggest that there are limited positions available for your current role. On the positive side your position may be more valuable to your current employer. Alternatively, that if something were to happen and you lost your position, it may be more difficult to obtain another role quickly.
 
It is always worthwhile to conduct a search on available roles in your current industry (or an industry you are hoping to make your way into). How frequently do roles come up? What is the general scope of remuneration against experience? Are most roles full time, part time or contract? By doing so, you can determine the job demand and job security within your desired industry giving you the benefit of planning your career ahead of time. Better yet, such scoping of emerging roles provides you with a competitive advantage over other employees as it allows you to assess the value and worth of your current position in the industry by comparing it to alternatives.

2.    Planning ahead for something better

Reality is that there may always be a position that is better than the one that you currently have. This is OK, however, as it gives you something to work towards. It can be hard to think of another job as you may be comfortable where you are now, but comfortable is not a term successful people use. Thinking ahead in terms of where you want to be and how you are going to get there puts you at an advantage over your colleagues. Scoping your potential next big move could be the best exercise you have undertaken.

This does not mean you have to stress out constantly looking for jobs, but rather look over advertisements within your desired field, and occasionally have a preliminary chat with a potential employer or recruiter, or send your resume out. Be very careful to explicitly state that you want your interest to remain completely confidential and not be placed into a database without your consent. Overall, consider planning ahead, networking, and spending time thinking of what your next job could potentially be.

3.    Networking

Networking is arguably the strongest factor that decides who gets the next available job. Knowing the right people could get you through doors that you would never have believed possible.

Aim at increasing your network. This could mean requesting that your contacts keep their eyes open for job opportunities as they arise. Or attending conferences, workshops and other professional events as well as buying a few coffees for people in order to build your network. Remember, people would rather hire those who they know rather than those they don’t know.

Hopefully these tips will allow you to move away from the comfortable ‘steady as you go’ space that you have fallen into and allow you to expand your network, look beyond your current position, and plan ahead for what job opportunities lie out there. Who knows, your dream job could be around the corner!

Wanting to look for other job opportunities...

Career Exchange is an online Allied Health Career Portal that has been developed to meet the needs of job seekers and advertisers within the Allied Health community. Career Exchange provides job seekers with a platform where they can connect with industry professionals and new employment opportunities. Career Exchange allows you to search for employment opportunities through cutting edge web design and usability. There is always relevant information pertaining to job seekers and you have the ability to upload a copy of your resume through your Applicant Account for free. 

Career Exchange: Active Job Seeking, networking and industry information all in the one place.