The advantages are obvious. The application by email is fast, convenient and inexpensive. However, companies often criticise the lack of care with which online applications are prepared. It is always the same points that HR professionals complain about. Too much data volume, poor formatting and carelessly created information. We provide you with important tips and rules to be observed to ensure that your application is the important first step to a job interview.
Subject and sender
The word "application" in the subject line of a mail is outdated and not very creative. Write clearly in the subject line which position you are applying for or which division you are interested in.
Use a private or anonymous account for your online application. The address should be neutral and serious, e.g: Vorname.Nachname@provider.de. Set up a signature for the application. Normally this will be automatically added to the mail below and contains personal information such as name, address and telephone number. Nowadays it is also obligatory to provide a mobile phone number. Of course the application should not be sent from the company server of your current employer.
Our tip:
During an application phase, check your mailbox daily so that you can react promptly to e-mails from the company.
Addressee
Make sure that your online application reaches the right person in the company. Only use the e-mail address given in the job offer. Do not send your application to an anonymous company address such as info@musterfirma.de, you run the risk that your mail will not reach the desired addressee at all or will arrive late. In case of unsolicited applications, please inquire in advance by telephone or on the company homepage for the correct e-mail address.
Our tip: Many personnel managers do not like read receipts, so do not request them. If you want information on the status of your application, call the personnel department.
Cover letter
Your online application replaces the classic application folder. Create it just as carefully, check your cover letter and attachments for typing errors, and avoid slang. The usual application tips apply to the content of the cover letter. Just like the classic cover letter, it must contain a salutation and a concluding greeting. Write factually, concisely and politely.
Our tip:
Do not send your cover letter as an attachment, but insert it directly into the email text field, because it is your personal business card and should be read first - without much fuss - by the HR manager.
Attachments and file formats
Attachments make your online application individual and valuable, but they often cause the biggest problems. Especially the file size is decisive for the call, it should not exceed 1 - 2 MB. Because you are certainly not the only applicant and no HR manager is happy about a blocked inbox and long loading times. We recommend files in pdf format, as they have the smallest data volume, are not susceptible to viruses and cannot be changed.
Our tip:
Attach a maximum of 3 attachments and label them clearly (e.g. CV_Max_Müller.pdf). Even better is the creation of the complete application as one pdf-file. In this way you present yourself optimally, as the personnel manager has little work when opening the file. Please do not pack the attachments as .zip files. Unzipping them causes a lot of work for the personnel manager.
On average, the review of an application takes four minutes. With a large number of applications, the time spent by the personnel manager quickly drops to just under two minutes. When creating your application, therefore, make sure that it is as convenient as possible for the addressee and avoid improper formatting and unnecessarily large volumes of data, as this will leave a negative impression.
Our tip:
First send the application to yourself or a friend and check it again before you finally send your online application to the company.
