Give Your Resume the Advantage With These Steps
Chelsea P. Gladden is Director of Marketing & PR at FlexJobs.
As the hunt for your job continues and you prepare to email yet another resume for a position you are interested in, you may start to wonder: Why is no one calling me back?
For starters, the hiring manager may get up to 150 or so resumes within the first couple of hours of posting the position and will need a method of weeding out candidates in order to find the best fit. With that in mind, here are four simple reasons your submission may end up in the trash.
Inability to follow instructions
Treat each job as though it's the only job you are applying for. Pay particular attention to the skills they are looking for so you can address how you are a fit for their requirements within the posting. Don't forget simple instructions like including a letter explaining what you're applying for or giving your salary requirements. Many applicants are immediately disqualified simply for not being able to follow instructions.
Forgot to include a cover letter
It's standard practice to include a note detailing the reasons you are a fit for the job and why you are interested in the position. The cover letter makes it much easier for a hiring manager to understand the position you're applying for and why you're a fit, quickly and easily. It also gives them an introduction to your resume. If you can't take the time to do so, hiring managers are not going to take the time to review your qualifications.
Didn't properly proofread
In addition to dotting all the "I's" and crossing all the "T's" so to speak, double check you don't have any spelling or grammatical errors. On top of that no-brainer, be sure you address your letter to the correct person who posted the open position and, by all means, make sure you include the correct company name and position you are applying for. Believe it or not, these obvious mistakes wind up on the desks of recruiters daily.
An awkward email address
Listen, your friends may have laughed when you got your gmail account and created "IamLazy@Gmail.com," but to the HR department that you just sent your application, your chosen address says it all. Signing up for a new email address is free and a wise choice if you want to be taken seriously.
Following the above steps gives you an immediate advantage when applying for a job because of the hundreds of others that will make those common mistakes that eliminate them from being considered immediately. By treating each job you apply for as if it is the only job in the world and giving it the extra effort, it will put you ahead of the pack.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of BusinessNewsDaily.