Why does this happen, and what does HR actually want from you?

You’re in luck! Several HR professionals want to share four important points to help you secure the job you want.

1. Your application is a process

You submitted your application three weeks ago, and you still haven’t received a hint someone even received it. Why?

“There are meetings to have, other candidates to schedule and conversations to be had,” says Paul Smith, Director of Human Resources at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Paul holds over 15 years of HR experience in both the private and public sector.

“Depending on the circumstances, the HR person might be the only one handling HR duties in that office,” Smith says. “There are times when they are shorthanded, they might be on leave or key decision-makers are unavailable. Sometimes there is a sense from job applicants of ‘why don’t they tell me, why don’t they communicate?’ But sometimes there isn’t anything to communicate yet. The process will be different depending on the company, industry, size of the company and management philosophy.”

2. Be genuinely interested in our company, and we’ll be genuinely interested in you

“We love good questions,” says Jeffrey DeLucia, Manager of Talent Acquisition at The Judge Group, a consulting, staffing and training agency. Jeffrey oversees all incoming talent and screens candidates from the entry to senior level. “Ask us about differences you noticed between us and our competitors. It shows you took the time and effort to research. Specifically for me, since I interview for sales positions, I like to see assertiveness for this particular role. We want to see someone who wants to be here.”

Ask good questions to not only showcase your company research, but also to transform your typical, generic question and answer format interview into an engaging, back and forth conversation. This shift helps you stand out and generate interest from your interviewer.

“A sense of passion and a want to be doing the work is important,” Smith says. “Being able to specifically demonstrate your interest in the work is important. It makes for a conversation instead of an interview. The interview process is usually a question and answer process, but when you actually go to work, you won’t really be doing the question and answer thing. Your conversations are what you’ll be doing in the organization.”

3. If you’re not contacting us on LinkedIn, you’re missing an opportunity to stand out (and don’t just spam us)

“I think most people aren’t using LinkedIn enough,” says DeLucia. “I recruit 90 percent of my candidates on LinkedIn.”

Caroline Girone, a Human Resources Specialist at the Office of Civilian Human Resources for the Department of the Navy, agrees. “If someone contacts me on LinkedIn, I can help them with the application process,” Girone says. “The only method we can accept resumes by, however, is through usajobs.gov. If I was in the private sector, I would be very open to receiving resumes, because that shows initiative and research, which is impressive.”

Applying for a public sector job is a different, often stricter, process than many private sector positions. All public sector applicants are required to pass an exam (and score highly) just to receive an interview. This method helps the government ensure fairness for interested applicants.

You might feel great knowing both private and public sector human resource specialists are open to your attempt to connect, but do so with a sense of purpose.

“I get requests that say ‘add me to your network,’ but sometimes I have no idea who this person is and I have no idea why they want to connect with me,” Smith says. “I imagine I came up on their side of the screen that says ‘people you may know.’ But that’s not true networking; it’s just adding to your Rolodex.”

If you’re going to reach out, make sure to explain why in the email and briefly state what you want.

4. We understand the hiring process is hard on you

“People get frustrated because they don’t see any transparency in the process,” Smith says. “That creates a certain amount of uncertainty, which causes anxiety. I encourage folks to try to look at the uncertainty as part of the process, as opposed to letting yourself get anxious about it. I think, specifically, the hardest thing for candidates to grasp is how organizations and HR view the ability to get work done.”

When HR and management read resumes and interview, they look at knowledge and skill sets, but they also look at abilities—are they able to get the work done? HR people will think, for example, of the organization’s managerial styles, coworkers and different matrix relationships, and whether the candidate is going to be able to accomplish their tasks in this organization. And it’s hard for a candidate or someone looking for a job to know those internal dynamics.

Your turn: What question do you most wish you could ask HR and why?

Reggie Hall Jr. keeps GenY inspired and one step ahead at FreshWisdom by sharing interviews and advice from thriving Millennials as well as older generations to help you get what you want. Say hi on Twitter @FreshWisdomLive or on Facebook.

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The post What Hiring Managers Want You to Know About the Application Process appeared first on Brazen Life.

He’s trying (and failing) to connect with you. Don’t laugh! You write emails to successful people the same way. These five tips will help you help you write emails that generate responses and build relationships:

1. Be brief

You’re busy. You work hard, you create side projects, you hustle for new connections and you cram room in for a social life. (Damn, take a break!)

Successful people live even busier lives. A long email is like the stranger who reveals their life story five minutes after you shake their hand. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Short messages decrease the chance your contact drags your email into their trash folder.

2. Keep it genuine

“Hello friend. I have a special secret that has saved me $10 million…”

Next! Automatic delete.

It’s an extreme but too common real-life example. Stop writing emails that reek of dishonesty. Don’t underestimate how deeply people crave authentic connections. Successful people develop a B.S. detector after constantly having others compete for their time and attention. When you hide your true intentions, beep, beep, beep!—their B.S detector explodes.

If you want something, make it clear. If you have a great idea, share it. Most importantly, be upfront about why you are sending the email and why your message is great for the person receiving it. This will establish trust, which is the foundation for all positive relationships.

3. Be likeable

Ever stare at a date across the dinner table while they talk only about their life? It’s unattractive and rude. In the same vein, center your emails around the contact instead of yourself. Primarily, focus your message on their background, their needs and how your email impacts them.

The second part of being likeable is making your request for information, meetings or feedback easy for people to say yes to. “Do you have 10 minutes to chat?” is easier for someone to agree to than “Can I talk with you for an hour?”

Give people outs when you make requests on their time. Applying too much pressure on them increases the chance they’ll decline your attempts to connect. Phrases like “I know you’re busy,” “at a time convenient for you” or “let’s discuss this further when you’re back in town” demonstrate that you’re conscientious about their time constraints.

You always become more likable when you relieve the burden on others.

4. Provide value

Your iPhone rings. It’s the friend who only calls when they want something. Ignore! Ten minutes later, though, you answer your phone for a different friend.

Why did you accept one call and not the other? Because one friend shares cool news and invites you to interesting events, while another friend only takes.

Similarly, being a giver invites people to your cause. In your emails to successful people, share an interesting link or new information within their niche. Your email isn’t just about receiving; it’s about establishing a relationship. And good relationships are built upon helping people with shared interests and aspirations.

5. Show you’re already winning

You want to contact successful people because you know they get important things done. You gain instant credibility by showing them you’re already winning.

Did you just complete a cool project? Create something unique? Briefly tell your contact. The message conveyed is that you don’t mooch, and that establishing a professional relationship with you won’t be a waste of their time and effort.

Here’s what it looks like put together. This email was sent to New York Times bestselling author Chris Guillebeau, resulting in an interview and new relationship:

The first line establishes a common link. Line two shows genuine flattery. Lines three and four give a clear intent of the project, which makes it easier to say yes.

The fifth line shows why Chris fits for the email’s content. Line six is about being likeable and gives Chris an “out.” The second-to-last line reads “at a convenient day and time for you.” This goes back to taking away the burden for Chris.

The final, “P.S.” line briefly shows how I’m already winning without bragging.

Note: Notice the title of Chris’ book is spelled incorrectly. (It’s “world,” not “word.”) This mistake proves you don’t have to write a perfect email to have successful people respond positively to you! (Although you should always proofread.)

Influential people want to help you reach your goals! Your next connection is one strong email away.

Your turn: What’s your secret (or biggest hurdle) for writing a great email to successful people?

Reggie Hall Jr. keeps Gen Y inspired and one step ahead at FreshWisdom by sharing interviews and advice from thriving Millennials as well as older generations to help you get what you want. Say hi on Twitter @FreshWisdomLive or on Facebook.

Get our best career advice delivered to your inbox. Sign up today!

The post How to Get Successful People to Respond to Your Emails appeared first on Brazen Life.