In a difficult job market, your resume and cover letter are the first, and sometimes only, impression a potential employer will have about you. During the application process, there are several things that can raise a red flag to an employer and will either rule you out completely or at the least make them think twice about possibly hiring you. Being prepared can make a world of difference.
Some of the most common red flags for employers are:
- Resumes with spelling and grammar mistakes or a lack of attention- Everyone makes mistakes, and no one expects perfection, but on a resume, you should be able to deliver an error free document. One tip for better proofreading is to proof your document backwards. By starting at the bottom and working upwards, you can prevent your brain from skipping over small words and errors. Additionally, having many detail related errors on your resume indicates that either you didn't take applying for the job very seriously or that you don't pay attention to details. Either way, they most likely won't hire you.
- Not following directions- If the job advertisement says that they need you to apply in a certain manner, not following the instruction will, most of the time, rule you out for the position. Employers give thought to what they want to write in their advertisement and they expect job seekers to follow them. In fact, many employers put requests like “submit salary requirements with resume” mainly to weed out the people who are just sending copies of their resume to every job opening, with hopes of getting an interview or two.
- Sending your resume from your current work email- This is always tacky and trust me that it is noticed. When you send out resumes from your work email it gives the impression that you are conducting your job search on you current employer's time. And most likely, you are. Don't rip off your employer when you are looking for a new one. Hiring managers are smart enough to know that if you will take advantage of that employer, you will take advantage of them as well.
- Having employment gaps- Having left the work force for a while doesn't automatically make you less attractive to a potential employer, but you should explain any gaps in employment in your cover letter. There are many legitimate reasons why people have gaps, and the employer wants to find out if you are going to be able to stay with their company long enough to make hiring you worth their investment.
Knowing what employers are looking for makes it a little easier to be prepared. Use common sense when you apply for jobs. With so much of a job search taking place online, it is easier to forget that these aren't faceless entities looking at your resume. They are real people who are used to screening candidates, so you need to make sure that you are giving them your best if you want to get a job offer.
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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