The Dos Donts Of Speculative Job Applications

The Dos Donts Of Speculative Job Applications Facebook6TweetLinkedInPinEmailShares6 Picture the scene; youve found the perfect company they share your brand values, theyve done some amazing work and theyre in the ideal location theres just one catch theyre not actually advertising any jobs which are relevant to you at the moment. So what do you do? In this type of situation, you have only really have two  options you either walk away and keep your eye on them for future vacancies or you take a chance and send in a speculative application. Now, speculative applications are tricky because theyve not actually been requested (ie. youre just sending in your cover letter and CV out of the blue) so you need to be careful to pitch them just right. Here are our top Dos and Donts for speculative job applications. DO: Enquire On The Back Of Another Role: If youve found a role the company are advertising for but its not right for you, theres no harm in getting in touch on the back of it thats exactly what our Digital Marketing Executive Scarlett did and thats how she got her job here at Bubble. In that situation, Scarlett wasnt right for the role that we had at the time but soon after we had another role and, because I already had her CV in my inbox and she was fresh in my mind after having a bit of a chat, we immediately considered her for the role. Remember, sometimes its just about being in the right place at the right time DONT:  Get In Touch If Youve Applied For A Previous Role: While its OK to send in a speculative application on the back of another role, Id really warn you against sending in a speculative application if youve already applied for a role with that company. Why? Because theyll already have your details in their system so if youre right for their company, theyll already have you in their prospective maybe pile and will get in touch when a relevant role crops up. On the other hand, if theyve already decided youre not the right fit, sending in a speculative application is only going to annoy them and isnt going to get you any further forward. DO:  Be Polite Personable: With a speculative application, its important to ensure that youre still polite and personable on all correspondence eg. emails, cover letters, telephone calls. At the end of the day, youre still putting yourself forward for a job (albeit one which hasnt been advertised or doesnt actually exist yet) so you need treat it with the same respect you would any other application. DONT:  Send In A CV With No Explanation: With this type of application, its essential that you include some kind of covering letter or email to explain why youre sending in your CV when theres no relevant job up for grabs. In your covering letter, you need to explain your reasons for your speculative application eg. your shared brand values or your admiration for their previous work or clients and why youd be a good fit for their company (the message: a generic cover letter wont cut it in this instance!).  If you dont send in some kind of covering letter,  theres a good chance your CV will end up in the bin or Deleted Items folder because the employer will think theyve received your CV With your cover letter and email, if possible, try and address it to the right person eg. Amy, rather than Sir/Madam. Again, this will prove its not just a generic email/letter and will also demonstrate that youve done your research. LinkedIn can be the perfect place for finding contact details or alternatively you could try and look at other jobs the company has advertised for a contact name. DO:  Include Your Contact Details Explain Your Current Work Situation: Following on from the last point, in your cover letter or cover email, its important to include your contact details and explain what your current work situation is eg. are you currently employed? Are you about to graduate? Are you between roles at the moment? These are all questions the employer will have, so if you can include key details like this in your cover letter (including how long your notice period is), youll have all the answers ready for them and itll save you both time. DONT:  Be Too Pushy:   When signing off your cover letter or email, you need to be careful not to come across as too pushy. OK, so you want to show youre enthusiastic and really want to work for that company but at the same time you dont want to come across as desperate or arrogant. For example, instead of finishing with something like I cant wait to meet you and discuss my new role at your company, it might be better to go with something more like Id be excited to discuss any potential future opportunities at your company. The second example is much less presumptuous and it also shows that you have a real passion for their company. Following on, once youve submitted your application, its OK to follow up a few days later to check theyve received it and its not accidentally been sent to the infamous Junk folder but after the initial phone call, its a good idea to hold back and wait for them to get back in touch. Remember, desperate is never a good look So there you go; my top Dos and Donts for making speculative job applications. Think Ive missed anything out? Feel free to leave a comment below