Application Myths
This is what recruiters think about salary demands and spelling mistakes in the cover letter
Are you automatically sorted out if the salary demand is too high?
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Are spelling mistakes in the application a KO criterion? And does it make a bad impression if I ask about the number of vacation days in an interview? A survey shows what applicants suspect and how HR managers really think about these questions.
In an interview, applicants face a balancing act: Of course, they want to present themselves in such a way that they get the job. On the other hand, they also want to sell themselves as expensively as possible. But how easily do I shoot myself out with too high a salary demand? Does it make a bad impression if I ask about the number of vacation days? And what do HR managers pay particular attention to when applying?
The job portal “meinestadt.de” put these questions to both potential applicants and the HR managers on the other side of the table. In the online survey, 2000 specialists with vocational training and 250 people who are responsible for hiring new employees in companies of different sizes gave their opinions. And the answers from the two groups did not always agree.
Which assumptions on the part of applicants are correct and what is just a myth? Seven application myths under review:
Myth 1: “Anyone who asks for a salary that is too high in their application will be automatically rejected”
A majority of 60 percent of skilled workers suspect that asking too high a salary will block their chance of getting the job. But employers are obviously less critical: only 45 percent agree with the statement in general. The others take it sporty: “It’s a matter of negotiation,” says some HR managers. Especially in the case of sought-after specialists, an excessive demand is not an exclusion criterion. “If the qualification is right, you can negotiate.” One HR manager says there are simply “too few applications to be picky”. On the other hand, there is less leeway if the remuneration is regulated by a collective agreement.
Myth 2: “Applicants must meet all the requirements in a job posting or there is no point in applying”
Some job advertisements read like an employer request concert. Do you really have to bring everything with you? “Such employees usually do not exist,” suspects one of the interviewees. Two out of three specialists therefore believe that you can also apply if you don’t meet all of the formulated requirements. This attitude is often correct. Because even among HR managers, only one in three takes the self-imposed requirements profile completely literally. “Depending on the job, we have to make compromises,” says one. Sometimes there is no such thing as the ideal person and you can familiarize yourself with many areas. Job experts at “meinestadt.de” advise applicants to try to distinguish between mandatory and optional qualifications.
Myth 3: “It makes a bad impression when candidates ask about the number of vacation days during an interview.”
Companies are looking for motivated and hard-working people, of course. Can I still bring up the subject of vacation in the interview? 38 percent of the professionals surveyed fear that this will make a bad impression. But only 22 percent of HR leaders agree. Applicants should inform themselves comprehensively, so the tenor. The question of vacation is part of it, “as long as it’s not the first and only question,” comments one.
Myth 4: “Recruiters use social media to find out more about applicants”
Do I have to be afraid that potential employers will rummage through my Facebook and Instagram profiles for embarrassing party photos? In any case, the specialists are on their guard: 73 percent suspect that HR professionals use social media to find out about candidates. 59 percent of HR managers state that they actually do this. According to the survey, however, these are mostly professional networks.
Myth 5: “The cover letter is the most important part of the application”
Many of those surveyed consider the classic cover letter to be the most important part of the application. However, HR managers are much less interested in this. According to the survey, they primarily look at the CV. In second place in importance are references and certificates – and only then the cover letter. Whether or not a good cover letter is important also depends heavily on the position in question. The answers from HR managers range from “not relevant for us” to “makes the candidate special”.
Myth 6: “Applications that contain spelling or grammatical errors are automatically sorted out”
Just don’t make a mistake! Three out of four professionals fear that if they make spelling mistakes, they will lose all chances of getting a job. HR managers take a somewhat more relaxed view of this, but a majority of 54 percent of them also agree. It depends on the number of errors, explains one. “You can forgive one or two mistakes, but it shouldn’t be more.” It also makes a difference what kind of job it is. “It doesn’t matter in the workshop, it should be fine in the office.”
Myth 7: “Many job changes in the course of professional life are not well received by HR managers”
Are you considered erratic and unreliable, or curious and rich in experience? 60 percent of specialists assume that many job changes are not well received – and 55 percent of employers confirm this. Responsible the classic reading. Other company officials say that’s “old-fashioned thinking” because job changes are much more common today than they used to be. What everyone can probably agree on: “It depends on the reasoning.” If you have an eventful job history, you should be able to explain it conclusively.