To be able to get a great job you have to be able to create a well-written application together with your resume.

The application, together with your CV, is the first impression the company gets of you, and it can be decisive when you have to be invited to the first interview among the other applicants. We give you good advice on what to pay attention to when you write an application.

Your application must arouse the company’s interest in you as a candidate. You must therefore answer why you are applying for the job, what you can offer and how your experience and skills can be used in the position. Remember that your application is not your CV written in prose. Your application is forward-looking, where you describe how you can use your experience and skills in the position you are applying for.

Analyze the job and the company

It is important that you familiarize yourself thoroughly with the job posting and the company before you write an application. You must read through the job advertisement and write down what motivates you about the job. Pay attention to the tone of the job posting. It can give you an impression of which language you should approach in.

Not all job postings are equally informative. It can therefore be beneficial to seek additional information on the company’s website, on social media or ask in your personal network. You can also call the company and ask more about the job and the profile they are looking for.

Introduce yourself and find out more

It’s often a good idea to introduce yourself by calling and ask about the job. This way you can get more information about the duties and responsibilities of the position, which gives you the opportunity to further target your application.

The application

The application must fill one page, be inviting and easy to read. You can do this by dividing your application into shorter sections. Your application will be read from the top. Therefore, your motivation and your most important arguments for why the company should call you for an interview must appear on the top half of the page. Most recruitment consultants spend less than a minute reading an application, so you need to capture their interest immediately. You can compare it to reading a news article, where the most important information comes first.

Read your application through a few times before sending it. Get any also someone else to read it through. You may have overlooked important information. Typos or unfortunate wording can mean you are not selected.

Choosing the right heading

The headline is the first thing the reader sees, and it must therefore capture the reader’s interest. You can include the title of the position or other keywords in the job posting. It can also be something relevant about you, your skills, or what useful value you can add. Use a tone that matches the tone of the job posting, but at the same time make it fit with who you are. Think about what signal you want to send.

Make a great introduction of yourself

The introduction should make the reader want to read on. Tell us what you find particularly interesting and what motivates you to apply for the position. Be as specific as possible and come up with specific examples of whether it is the content and challenges of the position, the company’s profile, culture, products or anything else that interests you. Show enthusiasm for the position, so that it becomes an additional choice for them and not an opt-out of your current workplace.

If you have contacted the company, refer to what was discussed.

Mention your knowledge and experience that are relevant for the job

You need to tell the reader that you are the right person for the job. Based on what the company is asking for, you must specifically explain how your experience and skills can be used in that particular position.

Tell how you will be able to solve the task going forward, so that you avoid a backwards narrative. Start with your most important argument first and please give an example. If you lack concrete knowledge about the job, feel free to include some assumptions yourself about how you could imagine the job to be with your experience.

Make a short presentation about yourself

You must write about yourself so that the reader gets an impression of you. It is up to you what and how much you want to tell. Keep it short, as the main focus of your application is your professional match, as this is most often what brings you to an interview.

When you apply for a management position, you must also describe your leadership style and what constitutes good management for you. Your values ​​and attitudes must match the company’s.

The ending

The rounding off should lead to a conversation. Express a positive expectation that you will come to an interview, where you can tell more about why you are a good candidate for the job.

After the application

If you have not heard anything from the company for a while after the application deadline, you can follow up and ask how far they have come in the process.

Should you be told that you have not been considered or have been rejected, do not expect the company to remember exactly your application. Instead, ask about what has characterized those who have come to interview. It can give an insight into whether the selected candidates had any special skills that you could not match anyway. Alternatively, it may give rise to improving your application material for the next job you are applying for.

Just remember not to call to soon, if you haven’t heard from the company. You can easily be an annoying factor.