From Marketing to Hiring: Why Your Application Needs a Headline

LinkedIn’s “quick apply” is doing a disservice when critical context is omitted from job applications. Why?

I studied “motivation letters” probably as far back as elementary school. Bridging the gap between “a CV” and “a role” carries far more than a 2-pager can list down. ⤵️

Various studies report that hiring managers spend 6 to 7 seconds on a resume on average.

What isn’t a “crystal clear” match often ends up in the wrong pile.

Not much different from marketing in this world of short attention span: your creative and headline can make or break a sale, period.

📝 Hundreds of applications this month without additional context other than a CV.

And some readouts make a lot more sense in just two explanatory sentences explaining:

– 2 consecutive 3-6 month stunts
– a career break over the past year
– relocating (or applying from a different city)
– down applications (C-level for directors)
– any intentionality in “this is what I know about you”
– aspirations in “my goals over the next few years”

Your hiring manager tends to lack this context. And believe it or not, the market isn’t packed with rockstars – plenty of people simply can’t pass a trial period or retain a role in an organization with “above average” or higher velocity.

👨‍🏫 Just as digital channels have been losing their effectiveness over the past 3 years of AI and mass-produced content, banner blindness, oversaturation and clickbait, the human element is more important than ever.