I saw this blurb on GMA this morning and it reminded me that I had written the following set of basic tips for improving your chances in the job hunt...and never posted it. So here you go!
In today's economy, millions of people are still looking for jobs. They comb the Internet, the read the paper, they ask friends, and they say novenas. I should know, I did all of those things myself. But now that I am employed and working in Human Resources, I have accrued some tips for people taking the middle step to finding a job - actually applying for one. You would not believe the things that come across my desk and filter through my inbox. Here are a few red flags to avoid if you're on the job hunt. I hope that by reviewing your resume, cover letter and application habits, you might find the thing that has been preventing you from being chosen and break through your job slump!
Photo by SOCIALisBETTER
1. If you don't write a cover letter (which you should, see below), please at least INCLUDE your actual name in the application
If I can't open your electronic resume, HOTBOD3769, and I don't know your birth name, I will most likely just delete your email rather than wasting time tracking you down.
If I get a fax that is blurry, missing some pages, or doesn't specify which position you're applying for and the only contact info I have for you is whatever fax number you sent your inadequate resume from, I will not risk having someone else (say, your current boss who didn't know you used company property in your effort to escape him) receive a return fax with my requests for clarification.
When faxing, I would advise clearly writing your name and phone number on the top of each page.When emailing, please use a non-profane email address and type your real name in the body of the email.
2. Don't lose the job before I even read your resume
Some problems leave a bad first impression that might never be surmounted. They include, but are not limited to:
-Not including your real name
-Forgetting to attach your resume and not catching your own mistake (If you catch it and resend, it can be forgiven. I get distracted too.)
-Attaching your resume in an obscure or unreadable format
-Not specifying the job you are applying for. It might seem obvious to you, but many HR Specialists are responsible for the hiring needs of an entire company and they aren't always well-informed enough about the differences in the requirements to tease your interest out of your application, especially if the available jobs are similar.
-Writing your resume in paragraph form and explaining every life choice you've ever made - that kind of nonsense is for the interview, if you make it that far
-NOT USING SPELL CHECK
Photo by SOCIALisBETTER
3. Don't pad your resume
I'd be more impressed with someone who lacks my precise requirements but wrote a great cover letter detailing their life experiences related to a job that someone who 'enhances' their resume with nonsense or inflated job duties. We do check references, people. I've actually read a resume which listed writing on a personal Facebook as her job for the past two years. Say what? Not even a personal blog, just a Facebook account. Personally, I was unemployed for a long time before I got this job, but I just admitted it openly in my interview and explained the (good) reasons for it honestly. I could have made something up to fill the slot on my resume, but then I wouldn't be considered an honest applicant. It's better to admit a bad truth than to make up a good lie when job hunting.
4. Cover letters - do one! (And make sure it is relevant and specific.)
The cover letter is a delicate monster. You don't want to get too involved (the fact that your 'baby' is in high school and your 'princess' is engaged has no bearing on your fit for this position), but you don't want to come across as vague, demanding or standoffish either. Here are some real-life examples that made me know that the applicant was not what we were looking for immediately.
PS Before you say I'm older than you may want, please know that I have raised five daughters and am still paying college loans for the next bazillion years (lucky me) So I will be working forever.
This post script came at the end of a very well written cover letter, from a candidate with a lot of experience in the field. He looked good on paper, but his p.s. ruined that image. I think I know what he was trying to do here; he wanted to humanize his application and give me something to remember him by that might elicit a laugh. But instead, it just highlighted what he thought of as a personal failing (his age) and ended his list of accomplishments on a sad sour note. In my head, I read that as '::sigh:: I will be working FOR-EVER ::groan::'
If he had waited to slip that comment in at the end of his face-to-face interview, I probably would have laughed and remembered him in a favorable light. Because I had the time to sit here and think about it, the implications that came up in my mind were not of a loving, funny, beleaguered father, but of someone who was not eager to join my company as a vibrant new member of the team. My final impression, right or wrong, was of someone who is just looking for a paycheck and doesn't quite care where he has to work to get it.
I possess solid interpersonal, communication and teamwork ability, and can effectively supervise all aspects of a daily operation in government or the private sector. The non-profit boards that I currently sit on and have been affiliated with have always made fund raising a top priority. As A Substitute teacher over the years, my students have taught me my single most important lesson, BE A GOOD LISTENER.
This letter was obviously not tailored to my organization, which was seeking a case manager for a medical office. My first impression from his government comment - and his long list of impressive local politicians as references - was that he would not well suited to dealing with sick people and their problems. Maybe that's unfair, but I'm trying to give you a truthful look at the way these things can be interpreted.
Another reason that I would not be interested in this candidate is his fund raising comment. So what? We don't need fund raising, and it was not in the job description in the ad he was responding to with this letter. Know your audience. It's great that this man knows a lot of high profile people, but it doesn't matter to us. I'm glad he knows how to fund raise - but it doesn't fit with my needs. I would have preferred a concrete example of his 'teamwork ability.'
Finally, the last sentence was a mess and totally unrelated to the rest of his rambling, disjointed paragraph. Most people today consider all caps to be 'shouting' and it is not a good way to emphasize your point. Also, the fact that this was a generic letter shows that he was, in fact, not a good listener to the qualifications and other details in our advertisement.
I'm looking for a good job, I can keep a long time.
Oh, the spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors I have seen. My first thought when I read that sentence was 'So can a freezer waffle.' If you want someone to take you seriously, and I cannot stress this enough, reread before you send! Spell check is our friend, people. I type quickly and often interpose letters, but no one would know that because I always check my work both as I go and before publishing it. It is the professional thing to do, and can catch so many embarrassing mistakes that present you in a bad light without really having anything to do with whether or not you could do a good job. To err is human, to present yourself properly is professional. One or two mistakes can be forgiven, but a messy application is not a good way to introduce yourself. You wouldn't go to an interview wearing stained and wrinkled clothes, would you?
to whm it may concern; contact me imediattly so i know you receved My Resume
Same problem, different configuration. You're applying for a job, not texting someone. I don't care if you have sent me your application on your phone, you should still use capitals and for the love of job hunting, be polite about it! Misspellings, random capitalization, and lack of a proper cover letter are all bad enough, but when you appear demanding right off the bat, your resume automatically goes to the bottom of the pile. How much more effort would it take to type 'please'?
Also, the above was the entire email. No name attached, with a resume entitled 'Resume' that would not open properly. Red flags, red flags, red flags! This person is not ready for the responsibility the job requires, and if I'm good at my job then I know that already and won't have to pay them unemployment when I fire them in three weeks.
If you are looking for an exact career/field match; my query for you, "How can I be given a fair chance when I am not an exact match 1 on 1? This should not be held against me not knowing my personality or abilities! I can tell you, I would and will be an excellent choice for this position
Why should I believe this? I'm all for reaching for a job that is a little above your experience, but you just told me you are not a match! YOU told me!
My salary expectations are negotiable and I would be willing to work at any salary that you are willing to offer me.
Don't do this. It's a rabbit hole that your entire job application will fall down and it will only end up one of two ways. Either the hiring manager will think 'Oh, good, a deal!' and think of you as discount merchandise (a first impression that might affect not only your salary, but how you're treated on the job), or they will not even consider someone whose first tactic is to proclaim themselves as cheap instead of highlighting their accomplishments.
This goes back to the first example, and reiterates the point that there are some things you can say, phrased well, during an interview, that should not under any circumstances be involved with the first impression that is your resume. When you write your cover letter, either have someone else read it and interpret it or try to step out of your own intentions and see if something you wanted to be a plus could be seen as a minus in another light. See if you wrote something jokingly that might come across as serious, desperate, or weird. When a stranger looks at a piece of paper or an email and superimposes their own agenda, personality and checklist over it, you don't want them to write you off for something that needs to be explained or could be misinterpreted.
I would like to be come radiology technology. I think that being radiology is the most important job in the medical filed, x-ray can find any kind of problem that patient might have it will find it.
We were not advertising for a radiologist.
Photo by Keith Williamson
5. Don't ask for more information without sending your resume - in fact, don't ask at all.
I have things to do. I'm not going to sum up the entire position for everyone who asks through emails. That's what the help wanted ad, and later the interview, are designed to do.
If you think you might be interested in a job, send in an application. If they contact you, ask more about the position. You don't have to take a job if you're not really interested, but if you make a good impression you have a new contact to add to your list.
6. Be technologically polite
When sending your resume, attach it as a word file, but also copy/paste the entire text (including your cover letter) into the email in case the file won't open. Some people are nervous about opening files from strangers, and some people don't have the capability to open your old Wordpad file on their new computers. Also, if you're faxing your application, use a cover page and specify which job you are applying for on top. If you know the name of the HR professional or hiring manager, write it in large letters. If not, write Human Resources or Hiring Manager across the top.
Bottom line: Unfortunately, HR people see hundreds of resumes that could all be a good fit. Things get weeded out for reasons that some HR professionals won't admit; aggressiveness, sloppiness, weird fonts, personal details, corrupt attachments. Try to be clear, concise, professional, and brief in your application. Don't edit your entire personality out of your cover letter, but remember that the phrase is 'getting your foot in the door', not 'getting your entire torso, including your bad hip and unusually hairy legs, in the door.' Highlight your accomplishments, but leave some professional details to brag about in the interview. Good luck!
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