Application tips: how to land your dream job

The future is digital. That’s a fact. This also applies to job applications. Whereas traditional application folders used to be printed and sent by mail, online applications and mobile recruitment have now become the norm – digital innovations that save you time and money during the application process. 

Business and career networks such as LinkedIn and Xing enable you to network directly with HR managers of potential employers – job apps and online forms allow you to apply with one click. Securing your dream job has become quicker and more efficient. 69.4% of HR managers already believe that applying for jobs via mobile phone and tablet is the future. Here are some of the most common options.

An online application is generally submitted digitally and not by post. From the classic e-mail application to an application using a job application form – there are many different possibilities. Most large, small and medium-sized companies in Berlin and Brandenburg publish vacancies on their own websites. To find these, search online for local companies in your industry!

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Use our Berlin industry overview to find exciting companies in the region!

Once you have found a vacancy that appeals to you, apply either by e-mail or by completing the application form on the website, depending on your preference. To apply by e-mail, send your application documents to the recruiter specified in the job advertisement. When writing your e-mail, make sure that your application documents are complete. These usually include:

• Cover letter
• CV (with photo and signature)
• Testimonies, references, certificates, work samples
• Possibly a personal statement

However, always pay attention to any individual requirements in the text of the job advertisement. Attach all the required documents to a short, personalised e-mail that makes it clear you want to apply.

NB: Make sure you have a respectable return address, a topical subject line and that you include your contact details.

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Always send complete and compressed attachments! Files that are too large clog up the e-mail inboxes of people in HR departments. The following file types are usually accepted, containing concise, high-quality information: PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF.

More and more companies are using “one click applications” on their website job forms to make the application process easier for applicants. With the one click application, you load your applicant profile from a career network (e.g. Xing or LinkedIn) or cloud storage (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive) directly into your desired employer’s application form. You complete your application with a single click, without having to upload all of the documents again.

Always keep your profile in the respective business network, or the application documents in your cloud, up to date! This will allow you to use the one click application feature at any time without any worries, because the HR department always receives the latest data.

The alternative: a speculative application to your dream employer

Speculative applications need to be well thought out and researched. On some websites you will find the note “please refrain from speculative applications”, and on others you will read detailed information about which documents you should send to a special e-mail address. You can never really know whether a speculative application will be received gladly or with irritation. But the majority of experiences allow us to hazard a guess: if in doubt, don’t apply.

If no jobs are advertised, then obviously there are no vacancies. And if there are no vacancies, many companies will not know what to do with your documents and will find it difficult to place or store them. Only companies that have the appropriate resources and the ability to manage a talent pool electronically can process these applications. For all other companies, speculative applications can be a problem that they cannot resolve without a great deal of effort.

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If you decide to send a speculative application, thoroughly research in advance whether the company has the electronic and HR processing facilities to handle your application! Only those companies that have the internal operational capacity will save your application and, if necessary, store it in a talent pool that can be accessed later.

Fast and simple! Many new mobile recruitment platforms make this application promise. Sounds good? It is. Mobile recruitment is perfect for anyone who travels a lot and is familiar with apps and using mobile devices.

Mobile recruitment is the term used for recruitment via an app or website which concentrates on attracting applicants using mobile technologies. The strategies go far beyond the usual application processes. After the successful creation of an applicant profile, some suppliers provide direct job offers that match your details, while others concentrate on browsing job matches via the “swipe principle”.

There are even job apps that fully focus on video applications. In the space of a couple of minutes, you will be asked a few questions which are to be answered via video in a specified time to complete the digital application. Sound practical? We certainly think so.

Another great advantage is that, if you are interested, you can submit your application documents directly via messenger to an HR manager, and can also arrange personal interviews in this way. Some companies even offer real-time in-app interviews. As a result, all your application processes are organised in one place, thereby saving time.

These innovative developments are usually available as job apps for download from the App Store or Google Play, or can be used in a mobile browser.

Job events & networking

Direct networking with HR managers is a major trend today. Job fairs, career & business meet-ups as well as regional and industry-specific job events provide the platform for this.

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In our “Current Job Events” category you will find exciting events in the Berlin-Brandenburg region, sorted by date and occasion. Take a look to find out what’s on!

Berlin puts itself on the map as a capital city with a large number of job events organised by associations, companies and networks. You can easily find these on the Internet via a search engine or via social networks and register directly online.

Use our Berlin industry overview for your event search! Here you will find industry-specific information for the region as well as associated events and networks.

Every semester, the Berlin Employment Agency offers free advice and seminars for those new to study and training. Find out more now!

Recruitment agencies & headhunters

Especially when it comes to the effective search for qualified specialists and executives, more and more HR departments in Berlin and Brandenburg are relying on the services of headhunters and recruiters.

Headhunters are HR consultants who find and hire candidates for top-level vacancies. Headhunters like to search via career and social networks and primarily for medium-sized companies up to international corporations. 

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Always keep your career network profiles up-to-date to be in with a chance of matching the desired qualifications!

Alternatively, you also have the option of storing your application documents directly with recruitment agencies and headhunters. Search the Internet for agencies in your sector and region, get in touch and submit a speculative application to headhunters!

Some employment agencies also have their own job platforms advertising vacancies for which you can apply directly. If an agency is used, there are usually no costs for you – these are usually paid by the company undertaking the search.