1. Choose wisely: the use of title
The titles of emails should be summative. It tells your identity and your intention. It’s a good idea to put in your name+your occupation. Of course, you can get creative titles to let the recruiters remember you easily. But never keep the titles too long. Cut to the chase. Good command of summative titles would make you recognizable. When the recruiters have a suitable offer for you, they can also spot your email immediately.
2. Attach your CV before you’re asked to
Sometimes people seem to be rather confused when we ask candidates from all walks of life for their curriculum vitaes. In the Netherlands, even if you are going to work in the field, you’re often expected to hand in your CV. It’s a formal process, as the company has to learn about the people who might become the future employees. When you have a nice CV, it can come in handy for getting a job in the Netherlands.
3. Don’t send an empty email body
A recruiter’s day is full of tasks. They have a lot of CVs to process and phone calls to make. You should put more effort into your application, if you sincerely want an opportunity so bad. The recruiters naturally put more attention to people who actually earned it. They don’t have time to guess who you are or what you want. An empty email body simply shows your attitude of having little interest and it’s definitely not the most polite gesture towards people who try to help you.
4. Don’t simply type ‘I want job.’
This rule is quite similiar to the situation of an empty email body. We came across these two types of emails most frequently, empty email body with CV attached, or ‘I want job’ without any information. It sounds more like a demand. You’ll be surprised as how many people ignore the importance of making use of emails nowadays.
A company simply can not just hire anybody, without knowing anything about these people. Everybody is in need of a good job, but nothing is guaranteed just because of your need. If you are not an email pro, that’s not a problem. Because the most important thing is to show your sincerity and your effort during your application.
5. Start your email with a nice greeting
It’s all these tiny details, that make you more special and stand out in the crowd. It merely takes 10 seconds to type in ‘good day’, ‘good morning’, ‘good afternoon’, etc. More and more people start to send emails without greetings, but it sure gives the reader a different feeling. Everybody knows the rules, but not everybody pays attention to them.
6. Introduce yourself
It wouldn’t make any sense if you write a really nice email but the reader doesn’t know who you are. At the beginning of the email, you should introduce yourself, starting with your name and the job you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a job as order picker in the warehouse, you don’t have to mention your IT major. Always, always remember to keep the consistency!
In the Netherlands, sometimes it’s also important to mention your nationality. Especially If you are not an EU citizen, it’s required by the Dutch government that you need a work permit to start working legally in the lowland. If you don’t mind, mention your nationality as well so that you know immediately whether or not you’re applicable for the vacancies.
7. Highlight your most important skills
Every experience of yours speaks loud and clear in your CV. So you don’t have to give away every detail again in your email. Focus on which job you’re applying for.
If you’re applying for a job as receptionist in a hotel lobby, then they are most probably looking for somebody with hospitality. Show your related strengths to prove that you’re a suitable candidate for this job. In this case you don’t have to mention your experience as security guard, as it’s less relevant and they share different required qualities. Though giving more details of your work experience (which you were good at) in your CV might direct you to another opportunity, if your need matches their demand, you’ll never know.
If you don’t know where to start, you can read the job descriptions. On a Dutch recruitment agency website, there are always criterias for the candidates for all sorts of jobs.
8. Embrace the art of punctuations
You want to make yourself easy to understand. You’ll write approxiamtely 10 sentences for an email application, highlight the most important part, the rest can be found in your CV. Break the sentences with right puncuations to make your points clear. Please note, excessive use of exclamation marks might make you seem rather aggressive, even if you weren’t. Make your letter easier and more pleasant to read by adding right punctuations, especially when you’re writing a long one.
9. Don’t forget to say thank you
Your specialty might boost the procedures of locating a decent job, but your manner widens your path and allows you to reach further. It’s hard not to have a good impression on someone who is good at his/her job and knows how to socialize. Invisibly you are building connections for your future, by your polite behaviors towards everyone.
10. Don’t forget to leave your name
Mention your name again at the end of the conversation, even if you have introduced yourself at the beginning. When the readers go through all the information quickly, it is still clear who they should reply to. Get the credit of the nice email you’ve written down by adding your name to the end!
11. Don’t wait too long to reply
Everybody wants to get an answer as soon as possible, so are the recruiters. On reality level, in many industries, especially for non-skilled workers, the vacancies are usually filled in no time. Everybody is trying their best to get the best job possible. The delay of your reponse might result in your loss of opportunities.
A recuiter probably goes through piles of documents everyday. If you only reply after a few days, weeks, even months (yes that acutally happens) , it’s impossible for the recruiter to remember every detail about you, even if you have the most perfect CV. Then, there goes your chance.
Our advice is that, even if you have already got another job, don’t forget to thank the recruiters who have put their effort into helping you. By doing so, you have a bigger chance of leaving a good impression for future cooperations.
12. Reply to related emails
The goal is always to achieve efficiency and recognizability. Sometimes we were left in confusion when we received a simple ‘ok’ without title, name, nothing. Then we had to go through all the emails again to find out what people were actually talking about.
Replying to related emails keeps both parties well-informed over the process. When you open your inbox, the impressions deepen and the memory starts to surface. It is a favor for the recruiters, but also a reminder for yourself. As when you are applying for a lot of vacancies at the same time, you might not be able to reserve every detail in your mind.
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