Ten sure ways to NOT get your foot in the door

It wasn't a lack of job skills or ability, though: 89.5% of the applications were not considered because they failed at the most basic level.

Job application is a pitch

If applicants can't communicate and sell themselves how can they expect to sell and market top brands? At the end of the day a job application is a pitch and YOU need to convince us why you are the best person for the job.

Making sure your application is read and considered is the first step in getting a job; if you fail here, that's the end of the road. Often you have one chance. One shot at getting that job you have been coveting, so make sure you hit the mark.

Some of the issues we raise have been mentioned before but perhaps have been forgotten or ignored, so we thought it might be helpful to put them out there again as a refresher.

We are by no means experts in CV or portfolio creation but, from our experience on the receiving end, we can confidently say that the points below were problematic and are pretty sure that they will resonate with most advertising/design/animation studios.

The points below are not ordered in any specific manner as we consider them all to be as serious as the next.

Mistaken identities

It's very flattering to receive a job application where the applicant states they are so excited to have the opportunity to submit their CV and portfolio for consideration, as they have always wanted to work for your company since they were born.

The problem comes in when you have submitted to company X and blatantly forgot to replace company Y's name from your well-crafted template. That just doesn't gel well with most folks, so don't do it; if you are going to write something along those lines be genuine about it.

Chain mail

We all like to feel special and be told how great we are, right? So don't spoil that by writing a marvellous introductory mail and cc 100 studios in the same message. It's the equivalent of trying to date more than one person at a time; it's just not done.

Cum laude

We are all for education and constant learning; after all, with new techniques and software constantly being released and updated, we need to keep up-to-date. However, it's what you do with that knowledge that interests us, so please do not scan and email 10MB of certificates without actually showing us what you are capable of.

To show that you sat through XYZ course or graduated from XYZ college often means less to a design studio than you might think. It may be the edge you need against another applicant, but that alone will not guarantee an interview.

Trust me, I'm great

A well-written CV can be very effective, but if you are applying for a design-related position and you don't attach any samples of work, that could be the nail in the coffin.

Please make sure you always attach samples of your work for consideration; we are visual people after all and like to see what you have done. It doesn't even have to be professional work - we would much rather see creative and well-crafted self-initiated work than no work at all.

1. Tutorialised

   Often it's not a problem if you don't have much professional experience, as long as you can show that you have creativity, attention to detail and passion.

   However, submitting beautiful artwork which you've developed from tutorials shows us that you can follow instructions and nothing more. It's good to do tutorials and learn new things but apply those teachings in a new and different way to your work.

   In the same vein, don't rip off other's work; it's the worst thing you could possibly do. Most creatives live online; don't think you can fool us as we have most likely seen it before...

2. Call me

   Most studios are rather busy and don't have much time to play mind games, so don't respond to a job advert by asking them to email you back for your portfolio because chances are you will be hitting that "get mail" button over and over without a response. Most likely what will happen is that they will move on to the next applicant.

   Your granny might think you are the greatest gift to the design community but we suggest a bit of humble pie: no one wants to work with an arrogant colleague

3. Any one there?

   When receiving a large quantity of applications, it's tough to go through all of them as it is, so don't make it any more difficult or you might just get overseen.

   Don't attach a CV to a blank email without any greeting or introduction and hope for the best. Introduce yourself, give a feel for who you are, try stand out and get the person receiving your application interested. Often companies hire candidates because they fit the culture just as much for the skills, so don't be scared to say hello.

   On the flip side of the coin, don't write a great little intro and forget to attach your CV or portfolio before you press send, as most companies will not run after you for it.

4. Relevance

   Make sure that your application is relevant to the job. Unless you are applying for a watering or shoe salesman position, that information has little relevance when applying as a senior animator. Rather add less than trying to fluff it up with irrelevant details.

   Remember, you're probably sending the application to the person who runs the company (or has final hiring power), who saw the need for a new member of the team and who wrote the job spec.

   If the job requires certain skills and you don't have them yet, build them up and try at a later date, unless they specifically state they are willing to train you up.

   Presentation

   Show what you can do from the get go and grab the attention of the person reviewing your application. After all, if you are applying for a creative position, why wouldn't you have a well designed CV and portfolio? Would you invest your money with a broker that drives around in a broken-down old car? Enough said.

   Spelling is often overlooked and that is inexcusable, even if you draw pictures the whole day. It's understandable that, with excitement, your trembling little fingers can mistype words but do everyone a favour and use spell check; it's free. Badly spelt communication just shows that your attention to detail is lacking or it could even be perceived as not caring.

   Respect, politeness and manners go a long way

   The design/advertising/animation industry at large is rather laid back and relaxed, but don't mistake that for a reason to think everyone is your mate. Many of the top creatives have worked hard to get where they are, and as much as they are accessible, you should respect them and communicate in a professional and polite manner.

Terrified about sending an application ever again? Don't be. The list above is by no means an exhaustive list but should be a good starting point to help you get your foot in the door. You're selling yourself and your personality and skills but don't shoot yourself in the foot before you reach the first hurdle.

The interview is a topic for a whole other article, so keep an eye out for that in the near future.