At SF Recruitment we appreciate the time, effort and commitment involved in making a job application and realise that it may become a bit tedious at times.

No matter what the reason is for firing out so many applications it is always beneficial to slow down and take your time and here’s why:

1. You can emphasise your relevant skills /

If you have applied for hundreds of jobs in just a few days but not had a response then this probably means that you haven’t personalised each application. The same CV and cover letter can’t possibly be used for hundreds of different jobs.

With the job market being extremely competitive and with most roles receiving hundreds of applications, you need to make your application stand out. Take the time to accentuate the skills you have that will be relevant to the position and attractive employer.

Even if the experience you have doesn’t show a clear link with the skills needed for the job you are applying for, think of ways that you could apply them. For example, customer service needn’t just mean working in retail or on the phone – it’s any contact you’ve had with a customer, from delivering a package to reading a meter. Take your experience and apply it to the role you want.

2. You’ll improve your spelling, grammar and accuracy /

Under normal circumstances your spelling, grammar and accuracy might be impeccable; but rushed job hunts aren’t normal circumstances. By investing more time into each CV and cover letter it will mean that you take more time with your phrasing making sure that your grammar and spelling is correct.

Even if you have a great CV or cover letter template, you will at least be required to edit the job title you are applying for and put in why you would be perfect for that particular job. You can’t be doing yourself justice if you’re rushing.

Spelling mistakes and poor grammar is one thing, but sending off an application which still contains the job title from your previous application – there’s no going back from that.

3. You can find ways to stand out /

When you are sending out applications as quickly as possible you are not researching the role and the company that you are applying for. To stand out, if you just spend 5 minutes looking through the companies website you might realise that you have more to offer them than you thought.

4. It encourages you to only apply for the right jobs /

Personalising your CV and cover letter will push you to spend more time finding the right jobs and drafting the right application instead of those you apply for quickly just in case. Some job hunts, when you’re not looking for a specific type of role, are a case of throwing things out there and seeing if anything sticks.

The more time you take on each application, the more you’ll realise how much you want the job. If it’s worth spending a lot of time over, then it’s the right job for you.

Hundreds of applications and no success will turn anyone a bit crazy. Don’t feel down; take your time on your next application and you’ll have peace of mind that you presented yourself in the best possible way.