There seems to be some confusion floating around out there regarding responding to job postings. This month’s tips will clear up some of those misconceptions.

Myth: If a job posting is over a week or two old, don’t bother responding to it. They’ll already have all the candidates they need.
Fact: Although the majority of candidates do come in that first week, if the job posting is still up 3-4 weeks later, it is very possible that a good-fit candidate has not yet been found. When you run across these older postings, this can sometimes be the best time to respond since the need is still there and there will be far fewer resumes to compete with.

Myth: If a job posting lists salary/rate as “commensurate with experience,” don’t bother submitting. They’re only fishing and there’s no commitment to the position yet.
Fact: Although that may be true in some cases, these days more and more recruiters are often forbidden to post the salary for positions which are very much alive and ready to be filled. When you run across an attractive position which lists the salary as “commensurate with experience,” by all means apply for it.

Myth: Simply submitting your resume to a job posting is sufficient.
Fact: When we first put up a job posting, we will sometimes get hundreds of resumes that first week. If you want to maximize your chances of getting noticed, simply do what almost nobody else does—include a paragraph or two highlighting why you are a good fit for that position. That one action alone can move you over to the short stack.

As always, Stout staff like to help. Feel free to contact us and let us know how your search is going.