How do I break past corporate site
I have been trying to get a job with Williams-Sonoma Inc. for about 9 months. I have over 15 years of good experience in the world of product development and design. I monitor their corporate site and apply every time I see a job posting that fits my experience. But I'm not getting called. I think my resume is fine, my cover letters are well written, my experience is thorough, my on-line portfolio looks great, I have won several awards and honors BUT I'm getting no reply. I am sure they get thousands of resumes posted to their corporate site every day. How can I stand out and get noticed? I wanted to send my info direct to the hiring manager but the only names I can find on the internet are for the highest level officers. Do I contact them? I just keep applying on their corporate site and I keep getting the automated replies, "Thank you for you contact..." I truly think I am qualified to work there. I would be willing to work the rest of my career there. Any advice? you could try getting chummie with some of the people that work in the store and after a while you could ask them the name of people in HR. you could see if they use headhunters and apply via them. you could call the main office and see if they use any.
When applying online, you have to use the same exact keywords in your resume that are used in the ad, or your resume may not come up when they do a keyword search on their end. For example, if the ad reads "must be proficient in MS Office", your resume has to say "Proficient in MS Office", not "Proficient in Microsoft Office". The way you list your qualifications has to be as close as possible to the phrasing in the ad. B may well be just another way of saying A, but the computer doesn't know that and if your resume doesn't come up when they do a keyword search, it may never actually be read by a human. Even if your qualifications are a perfect match, it won't do you much good if the employer doesn't know you exist. Gotta love technology.
Okay questions, where are you located and what division of Williams-Sonoma do you want to work in? I ask these questions, because I happen to know of a position as an Assistant Manager who is responsible for visual merchandising at a Williams-Sonoma company called West Elm in Henderson, Nevada. I have the email for the hiring authority, if that helps you. It sounds like the standard avenues into the company are not working. While you should continue to pursue those, you also need to find another way in. Other suggested talking up the folks in the store -- that's a potential way. You might also look at LinkedIn, which will allow you to see who you know that knows someone at the company. If you have been in the industry for a while, think about what some of the main issues likely to be facing the hiring manager in the area you want. With some straightforward phone calls (and polite conversation with Williams-Sonoma's switchboard & assistants) you can probably find who that hiring manager might be. Then make a pitch to him or her. Going to association meetings or trade shows can also work if you've done your homework. In short, if you want in you're going to have to try some alternate approaches Steve
Kelly, Thank you so much for your post. I was actually trying to get a job at their corporate headquarters in San Francisco. But thanks again for your help.
Thanks everyone for your replies. There are many good ideas here. I will keep trying! -Gesamt Most of my kitchen is stocked with items purchased at Williams-Sonoma. I usually buy them from their outlet mall here in Primm, Nevada just on the border of California and Nevada (its next to the Primm Valley Resort Hotel & Casino). I would call Williams-Sonoma headquarters and ask who is the manager of that department and make an inquiry as to whom to send a copy of your resume to. You can also take a small vacation to San Francisco and pay a visit to their facilities. I have done this in my job search for various companies. I then visited and took note who was the hiring manager and so forth. I even gave the PBX operator a gift to thank her for the information she gave me! | |
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