It doesn’t matter how many job seekers you speak to, 99.9% of them will say that their strategy to finding a job is to apply for as many jobs as they can. How do they do this? They jump on the biggest job boards (SEEK, Career One etc.) and send the same resume and cover letter to as many jobs that fit their filtering restrictions.

Three months pass and these people wonder why they have only been shortlisted for one interview (but they didn’t get the job because they couldn’t remember which company it was that called them).

These are 3 reasons you should take your time and apply for only a few positions per day.

1. You are blending in with every other applicant

You must realise by now that if you’re sending as many applications as you possibly can, then other people are likely doing the exact same thing. People believe it’s the best way to find a job and if everyone is doing that same thing, then you just blend in with the pile.

With an average of 118 applicants per job advertisement, it becomes more important than ever to understand the company you’re applying for and tailoring your application to them. By doing this, you give yourself an opportunity to stand out among the 117 other people that have applied to secure an interview.

2. Your Resume and Cover Letter are Generic

When you are applying for multiple positions per day, it means you have spent no time catering your resume and cover letter to the company you have applied for. If you are lucky enough for the hiring manager to take the time to review your resume, you want to make sure that the cover letter speaks about the skills they are looking for and your resume details your experiences in a way that suits the position.

Too many people believe that they do not need to tailor their resume and cover letter. They send through a generic template that gives no information about what makes them different and why they would be suitable for the position.

If you don’t know how to do this, we offer great templates that can be tailored to easily for less than $10. Start taking the time to research the company and understand what the company wants. Then tailor your resume to show that you’re capable of completing the role successfully.

3. It shows you don’t care what company you work for

Sending a generic resume and cover letter shows that you have been applying for as many positions as you possibly could, which then becomes a little desperate in the eyes of the company.

You need to show them that you really want to work for the company you are applying for, culture is a big part of business and they want people that are happy to be there. Understanding the ins and outs of the business goes a long way to impressing the hiring manager and ultimately securing yourself a position.