I came across a Hiring Manager on LinkedIn who shared a strong message. She had some friendly advice for people on how to tailor their cover letter and other communication when responding to a job posting online.
Since I’m always on the hunt for copywriting jobs, her words caught my eye.
The advice she gave was good… but there’s a huge problem with the job search that’s not being acknowledged, let alone addressed. I’m going to describe it now.
The jobs aren’t reaching the job-seekers. The job seekers aren’t breaking through to the hiring managers. I want to tell you why.
The hiring manager blames the candidates. The candidates blame the hiring managers.
Below, I’ve responded to some of Erin’s remarks, with some of my thoughts.
Here’s Erin Lewber’s Post, embedded here from LinkedIn:
Everything inside the scroll/frame is her original words, if you’d like to read, or if you feel compelled to find her on LinkedIn and take action.
She said: “I DM’ed the hiring manager, but they didn’t respond. Wanna know why?”
I RESPOND: I’m going to flip this perspective on you, so you can see the point of view of the job seeker. What’s happening to YOU as the hiring manager, is exactly what’s happening to ME, the job seeker!
Here’s me, flipping it on you:ย
The copywriter (candidate) didn’t respond… or they did, but sent a generic-sounding cover letter. Wanna know why?
Because this (pasted below), is what the typical job description looks like, with some variation.
Let’s take a look. (This is NOT from Erin’s post. It’s from a job I looked at on Indeed):
Hi,ย We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Creative Digital Marketing Manager to join our marketing team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for creating engaging and compelling digital content across various platforms to promote our brand and products. This role will involve social media management, content development, and maintaining brand consistency across all digital channels.
Yes, this is written intelligently, and in a professional tone. BUT… THIS SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE EVERY OTHER MARKETING JOB IโVE SEEN ONLINE.
Often times, the job description appears to be copied and pasted. And for the most part, the job description reads like a laundry list of tasks, that, quite frankly, make me exhausted just trying to read.
So when I’m drowning in job prospects on Indeed and LinkedIn, having no idea if anyone will even take a moment to read my cover letter or look at my resume… what’s the incentive to read this with mindful, absorbed curiosity… especially when it appears to be pickup copy that I’ve already seen on some other job posting, OR close to it?
I want to ask: What makes YOU different, an exciting company to work for? Would you consider saying it in your job description?ย
Here’s a typical job description that reads like many others I come across:
Below, I’ll paste a typical job description for my niche, which is copywriting and marketing. Versions of this show up in my inbox daily. Many of them don’t bother to reply, or reject my application within a few days.]
Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute digital content strategies to increase brand awareness, engagement, and lead generation.
- Create and manage content for the company website, including blog posts, product pages, landing pages, and multimedia content.
- Design, schedule, and publish content across social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn) to drive traffic and engagement.
- Collaborate with internal teams (marketing, design, product development) to ensure content aligns with brand guidelines, messaging, and objectives.
- Monitor and analyze digital performance metrics (e.g., website traffic, social media analytics, engagement rates) to optimize content strategy and identify areas for improvement.
- Stay updated on industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies to maintain a competitive edge in digital marketing.
- Lead the ideation, creation, and execution of digital and social content across various platforms
- Cultivate and nurture our B2B social media presence, fostering meaningful connections with key stakeholders and industry influencers.
Incidentally, this job description seems to encompass the work responsibilities of several people in different professional roles. But the hiring manager has lumped it all together, and is only offering a single paid salary for all of this work.
Continuing on… let’s take a look at the requirements for getting hired:
Again, this is shared from a job posting that I found on Indeed:
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Digital Media, or related field.
- 5-7 years of experience in digital content creation, and social media marketing, preferably in a manufacturing, medical device, or industrial environment.
- Proficiency in content management systems social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer), and analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Facebook Insights).
- Strong editing skills with attention to detail and ability to tailor content for different audiences and channels.
- Creative mindset with a passion for storytelling and visually being able to design the look and feel to
- Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities, with the capacity to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
- Strong analytical skills and data-driven mindset, with the ability to interpret metrics and translate insights into actionable strategies.
[Nothing personal to the original poster. But this sounds like you’re holding out for a psychic/magician.]
For this next part, Erin posts an example of what types of communication she typically sees from the job seeker.
She said:
“Hi, I’m so-and-so. I know I would be an amazing fit for the role you posted and I’m so excited about it and everything [company] stands for. I’d be happy to speak with you further about my qualifications. Look forward to talking soon”
And then she added:
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ’๐ ๐๐ต๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป’๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐น๐: ๐ฌ๐ผ๐’๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐๐
Remember that 90% of the time, outreach to a hiring manager or recruiter is cold outreach; a solicitation.
I respond:
[Here’s why you (the hiring manager) don’t get an original, customized, enthusiastic response from the job applicant.
It’s because they don’t know who YOU are, either.ย
90% OF OUTREACH FROM A HIRING MANAGER TO MY INBOX IS SPAM, HENCE THE DISCONNECT.
How would I even know if your job posting is legit? I’m not the only one. Try Googling “fake jobs on Indeed/LinkedIn”, and see what comes up. The problem goes both ways.
What I see from hiring managers or recruiters is mostly boilerplate. Profies look bland and fake, many have that “generic” professional look that in many cases is just a spam bot profile. Smooth hair, vacant eyes, bland smile, white collar shirt… a talking head in my inbox. One of maaaaany talking heads.
What energy would I have left to try and crack the code of whether this is legit? After that exhaustion, how to reply to it in a meaningful and engaged way? Are you seeing the problem yet, hiring manager?
In fact… Erin the Original LinkedIn Poster Goes into Exactly What I Mean, but from the Hiring Perspective.
She said:
That means you send a person a message they didn’t ask for….AND you want them to read it….AND you want them to do something *for you* once they read it…AND your ask isn’t particularly clear or compelling….AND you are probably a total stranger to them.
I respond:
I could say the same to you/any hiring manager. Nothing personal AT ALL when I say this: but SHOW ME YOUโRE REAL.
She said:
๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ, ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐บ๐ฒ๐งก: There are lots of people who want to help others in this world AND those people are also busy with many things.
I respond:
Kindly Reverse-Coaching the Coach:
The sentiment and feeling is mutual. I know that you need us just as much as we need you. So this problem should be solved so that we can get together and join forces in the workforce.
She Said:
Help them help you*
*๐ด๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ต๐ช๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ข ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ญ๐บ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต’๐ด ๐ฐ๐ฌ. ๐๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ด๐ต๐ถ๐ง๐ง. ๐๐ฆ๐ต’๐ด ๐ข๐จ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ฏ’๐ต ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ. ๐? ๐.
I respond:
I agree with this, but there’s that disconnect again. Do you see how this is not working? The problem is having to sift through dead leads, fake opps, and inbox junk.ย
We aren’t responding because your job posting sounds like everybody else’s.
The jobs I come across daily could likely be, and often are, fake. Or, the original job poster will likely not even respond. OR… I’ll get a boilerplate rejection letter.ย
SO AGAIN, WHAT IS MY INCENTIVE FOR SHOWING UP ALL BRIGHT AND SHINY WITH A CUSTOMIZED MESSAGE FOR YOUR COMPANY?
Do you understand why this isn’t working for anyone?
She said:
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ’๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐:
โ Brief message
โ Easy to read
โ Show you are a fit
โ Clear call to action.
I respond:
Okay: so we agree that the way you described, is how both the job seeker and hiring manager should be communicating. But it’s a missed connection. THATโS DUE TO ALL THE FAKE JOBS CLUTTERING THE FEED.
SHOULD THERE BE SOME STANDARDS AND POLICING IN THIS INDUSTRY, MAYBE?
To me, the job sites should be penalized… harshly… maybe even shut down… for violating our precious time and negatively impacting our livelihood with their dead leads that go nowhere, and prevent us from reaching the actual, legit jobs.
WHAT IS THE INCENTIVE FOR ME TO RISK BEINGย SWALLOWED UP BY YOUR SPAM MACHINE?
How am I supposed to respond to your would-be legitimate work opp when I can’t even get to it?
Why can’t I reach you? Because my inbox is assailed with junk daily, and every time I apply for a job it’s more of the same exhausting frustration.ย
WHY SHOULD I ENTRUST YOU WITH MY CELL PHONE NUMBER WHEN THERE IS AN 85% CHANCE THAT DOING SO WILL JUST RESULT IN ROBOCALLS HARASSING MY PHONE?
This is a problem for all of us. The fake job sites and ghost jobs (yes, look it up: it’s a thing) have got to go. This should NOT BE LEGAL.
She said:
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ’๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ*:
Hi [Name]… I just applied to the [job title] role (job ID: 123456) and would love an opportunity to speak with you about the role.
Career highlights:
– Annual President’s Club winner: top revenue producer, 2019 – 2023
– Hired and developed 15 senior sales executives, 5 became top performers
-Developed Executive/C-Level relationships with F500 clients across Automotive, Tech, Manufacturing, and CPG industries.
Are you still accepting and reviewing candidates for this position?
I’d love to be considered,
Erinย
I respond:
That sounds like a great sample candidate. But how many of us actually hired and trained 5 executives? The reality is that most workers, particularly in marketing, don’t have the metrics laid out that would prove our benefit to the company.
Think about it. I’m a copywriter. I work hard, and I bring a real passion for what I do.
If I work for you, you will be well cared for. I’ll give you my best energy and effort. But I don’t have numbers to prove this to you! That’s not part of what I do!
- How many great headlines did I write over the years that were edited by people in higher positions simply because of their own position and opinion?
- How could I possibly quantify my value as a writing service provider (or a designer, in that case)?
The majority of job seekers are like me. We work hard, we hold value… but we’re not super human. And those who are, should have their own businesses.
THE JOB RECRUITMENT PROCESS NEEDS AN OVERHAUL. Data farming should be illegal. This is hurting people, preventing jobs from being acquired, and basically ruining lives. We are all exhausted trying to break through this technological gibberish daily.
Someone of legal authorit needs to to take a serious look at how the job sites function, the fact that all they’re doing is data farming, and put a stop to it.ย
Erin, I would love to hear back from you on this.
It’s really concerning to me, that the computers have driven a deep wedge between the job seekers and the hiring managers of the world.
How long will this missed connection continue?
Until we’re all out of work, the computers are propping up the economy on nothing, and the government is bled dry because no one pays taxes?ย
Make it make sense, Erin and everyone.ย
Do we need a petition? Who do we write to? Give me a direction. Email it to dinagio@dinagio.com
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