When applying for a job or job hunting, it’s easy to underestimate the importance of your application. So, here are a few tips that will help you keep up a professional profile and avoid simple mistakes that could cost you the job!
Do…
1. Read the entire job announcement and abide by the rules. Send your application to the specific e-mail address listed, make sure your file is saved in the correct format, and don’t call your hopeful place of employment if calls aren’t welcome. It is one thing if you’re unsure of a few details, but most applications are pretty self-explanatory.
2. Use spelling and grammar check. BUT be careful of automatic spell check! At times it will change the whole word instead of simply correcting the misspelled word you intended to use. It’s also important to do a spelling and grammar check of your own by proof-reading your work. Better yet, have a close friend or family member proof it for you! Never hurts to have a second set of eyes review the application before it’s sent!
3. Suit the resume to the job. Listing every job, event, or organization you have worked for may seem like a great idea, but if you’re applying for an IT job don’t list every high school play you’ve been in. If you really feel that those odd jobs are somehow important for your possible-future-employer to know about then list them under a “Miscellaneous” section of your application and make your more relevant accomplishments stand out on their own.
Don’t…
1. Send more than a one-page resume. Your list of jobs and successes may exceed one-page, and that’s great, but employers don’t want to have to read through several pages just to decide if they should hire you. Keep your resume at a one-page maximum, be concise, and use that one page to make yourself stand out.
2. Take the cover letter lightly. The cover letter gives you a chance to let your personality shine through and show your possible-employer that you really want the job. Many employers may skip over the cover letter, but that is no reason to take it lightly. Spending the extra time on a solid cover letter might just prove that you’re a cut above the rest; just put some thought into it, and you can make your application something different than everyone else’s.
3. Leave your name and contact information off of your resume. This is a rule that dates back to elementary school, but still quite a few people that forget to label their work. Even the best resume is useless if an employer has no idea who he is reading about. Don’t rely on your e-mail address for identification either, as most employers will print out all resumes before they actually read them.
For more job application do’s and don’ts, check out this blog entry. Are there any big ones that they’re missing? What successes have you had with your job applications?