These 5 things might be why you're still job hunting (apart from the price of Oil)

One of the best ways to secure an interview in the Maritime industry is to get registered with WRS Tech, the UK’s leading shipping recruiter and to engage with one of our industry leading recruitment consultants who will be able to talk you tough your job search.

However there is a lot that you can do yourself if you’re currently struggling to make it to the first interview stage, here are five changes you can make to your job applications that won’t require an entire job search makeover.

1. Your application is too long

Here’s an important tip: Every sentence in your cover letter should matter. No fluff, no buzzwords, no beating around the bush. If you follow this rule, your cover letter will be the perfect length (at most, one page) — and the hiring manager just might read the whole thing. And when it comes to your resume, don’t you dare cross that three-page mark there either. While you may be very accomplished, it’s unlikely that the person reading it will ever get to page four, five or 14.  Common recruitment consultant advice is to keep a CV to one or two pages but a straw poll of WRS Tech’s consultants reveal that the magic number of pages for a technical shipping or Marine job application is three pages. The aim is to be accurate and concise but not to overwhelm the hiring manager by the sheer amount of information presented and not be able to focus in on why you’re the right candidate.

2. You make careless errors

You missed a word on your resume or you spelled the hiring manager’s name wrong. It’s OK, but don’t let it happen again. Use spellcheck, have a friend read it over, and double check the requirements before hitting that submit button. There are many great online tools for reviewing documents which have been developed for students at university which are perfect for utilisng on a job application.

3. Your materials don’t open

Wouldn’t you feel horrible if you found out the reason you didn’t get the interview was because the hiring manager (or Recruitment consultant) couldn’t open your file, or opened it to a completely weird layout, and just gave up? Yeah, me too. So, do your diligence to make sure it looks good no matter what by testing it on multiple browsers and smartphones to see if anything gets cut off or reformatted. It’s a silly, but very necessary step in the process. WRS Tech consultants recommend two formats for CV’s: .doc or .pdf. both formats are universally readable around the world. Keeping the formatting of your CV to minimum helps as well.

4. You miss deadlines

Some jobs have specific deadlines while others are rolling requirements.  Even if it seems like the opening is live, it’s possible they’re not looking at new applicants at the moment. The best way to get your profile to live job is to utilse a specialist recruitment consultant so if a specific job strikes your interest, my best suggestion is to apply right away or contact your recruitment consultant (once you have your materials together)—the more you delay, the more likely it is that when your application finally makes it in, the has already started considering other candidates.

5. You are clearly mass emailing

And finally, your cover letter and emails are probably fine, but if you addressed them “To the Hiring Manager” or copy and pasted your content word for word without even including the name of the company you’re talking to, you’re not doing yourself any favors. There’s a reason why we talk about tailoring and personalizing your message—because recruiters, surprisingly, can tell when they’re just another application in your pile. A generic application rarely stands out. And if it’s addressed to the wrong company or wrong person, well, you’re really not going to make it through the first round. It’s often times a combination of your personality and experience that really makes people want to meet you. So get personal. Start by addressing it to a specific individual (a.k.a., actually call the recruiter by his or her name) and making sure to name the role and why you’d be a good fit for that specific position.

These five tips are simple and effective in increasing your chances of getting to the top of a hiring managers interview list. 

To further your chances even more the best way is still to align yourself with a top industry respected recruiter with an experienced team of Technical Consultants, Resourcers and specialised support staff WRS Tech’s recruitment and consulting service capabilities are comprehensive.

Our model is to be part of, and resource for, the life cycle of  Maritime assets and operations from the concept stage through to detailed design and planning, providing services during the project, supporting our clients during the asset's operation, maintenance, conversion and life extension along with other business units which facilitate the profitability of our clients.

Due to our focus and expertise we can offer a tailored solution to our clients whilst retaining a process and methodology which is fully compliant and transparent.

Ultimately this results in our clients having the best candidates in their industry and our candidates having the best opportunity in finding a rewarding progression in their careers.

We deliver high end expertise with proven results.

For further information on how WRS Tech can help with your business or confidential chat please contact the team on +44 (0) 2392 633 952 or email info@wrstech.co.uk

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