Are you applying for jobs via LinkedIn ‘Easy Apply’ and then not hearing anything or are you applying for roles via the big recruiting online platforms and getting no response? There are a couple of reasons why this is happening.

I've built a good relationship with a recruiter on LinkedIn who recently approached me about a role, and I asked him for a recruiters' view of using the ‘Easy Apply’ button for roles and the danger of ‘scatter gun’ speculative applications, particularly in the current job environment.

His reply was: "Recruiters don't review or reply to all applicants as far too many are just playing the numbers game."

He went on to say that "Candidates are much better off proactively building relationships at companies they want to work for, with people in roles they’re interested in and building links with recruiters and recruitment agencies, to leverage those relationships when they see an advert."

I know ‘networking’ is a dirty word in policing and smacks of nepotism and cronyism but outside of policing, it’s incredibly important to develop those relationships.

I talk about it regularly in the Blue Light Leavers Private Facebook group and go through it in detail with those I’m helping 1-2-1. So many of my podcast guests talk about the importance of learning to network and building those relationships, and how it helped them find those new roles.

Connect with key people and organisations. Link up again with people you used to work with who may have moved on and know your work ethic. Start to sow the seed and tell them you're retiring or considering a career change and you’re really interested in their role and would like to find out more about the company and what the job entails. Ask them if they’d be prepared to meet up for a coffee to discuss it further.

When you apply for a role, most applications have a point of contact. Get in touch with that key point of contact and think of a couple of questions to ask them. It’s little things like this that really make a difference because when your application is submitted, they will remember you as the one that went the extra mile.

Develop those relationships and do everything you can to stand out from the crowd. Avoid applying through LinkedIn Easy Apply or ‘Quick Apply’ on the big recruitment platforms and follow the link direct to the website instead or go direct to the organisation website, careers page and apply through that.

You’ll avoid being lost in the noise of Easy Apply applications and you’re also less likely to be filtered out through something called the Applicant Tracking System or ATS. I’ll talk more about this next time and also, give some hints and tips on successfully navigating ATS.

I go through all of this in much more detail, alongside knowing what jobs you can do after policing, prepping and standing out in interview and much more in the Blue Light Achievers programme which will be opening up again for a short time in late Autumn. You can register an interest by following the link below.

After successfully transitioning from policing to a new career in Project Management, Andy moved into Organisational Change Management, then went freelance and moved into IT and has worked for a number of organisations, and alongside numerous consultancies and global organisations, including Microsoft.

He is currently the Platform Lead for Modern Workplace technology for ASOS, a global online fashion and cosmetics retailer, with a turnover of over £3 billion pounds.

Andy has helped many Police, staff and other emergency service professionals, find new roles and careers after policing, as can be seen in the video and written testimonials on Blue Light Leavers which can all be accessed via https://www.policeoracle.com/bluelight/