Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Job Search

Hunting for a job can be a full-time job itself. And it might feel like you’re working overtime if you are making any of the following four common mistakes, all of which can land your application in the “thanks, but no thanks” pile. If you are a current job seeker, you can plan ahead to make sure you get the call back by avoiding these common mistakes:

1. Using the same resume for every job you apply for. You can start with a template resume, but then you should customize it based on the job description and hiring requirements of every single job you apply for. Recruiters can quickly determine if you have the key skills needed for the job, and customizing your resume based on the position will show that you are serious about the job hunt and qualified for the job at hand.

2. Applying for every single job out there. It can be tempting to zip your resume off to every open position you are vaguely qualified for, but it’s actually a waste of your time and the company’s time. Make sure you review the qualifications for each position during your job search to ensure that you have at least three-quarters of what they are looking for. Then, you can target your resume and cover letter to show why you are such a great match.

3. Being vague, rather than specific. It is important to show your impact and specify your accomplishments throughout the job hunt – this goes for resumes and interviews. Rather than saying, “I helped my sales team grow,” try “Thanks to the new initiatives I implemented, our sales grew by 40 percent in the first two years.” The more specific, the better.

4. Failing to ask questions. In an interview situation, you are obviously going to be asked a lot of questions. You might not know that the interviewer expects you to ask a lot of questions in return. Be prepared – do your research on the company and come with a list of questions that show your interest and preparation. Make sure you stay engaged throughout the interview to show your overall fit for the job.

How to Get Your Resume Past the Robots

Job hunting is an art. Resumes, cover letters, interviews, follow-ups…the process sometimes involves as much finesse as it does skill. Even after you’ve written a killer resume, getting past “resume robots” can be incredibly difficult – fortunately, it is far from impossible.

These resume robots, or automated resume review software, can scan and reject applications in seconds and are a favorite of larger companies that receive a lot of job applications for each posting. An applicant tracking system can help organizations review, organize and respond to your resume and application, and they are growing in popularity. Almost all Fortune 500 companies now employ such a system.

If you are getting too many “thank you for applying for our position, but…” notices for jobs that you know you are qualified for, the following tips can help get your resume past the robots to the qualified humans who can take a closer look:

1. Key in on your keywords. Every applicant tracking system is trained to scan for certain keywords or details to help it quickly weed out unqualified applicants. That’s why the right keywords can make all the difference in your job search. After the HR team determines the key qualifications it is seeking, recruiters can program software to search for them. These keywords can involve certain qualifications, college majors, types of experience, licensing or soft skills. Review the job description and then ensure you have ample keywords to match and that they are easy to find and identify. Even better, offer examples of those key skills in action to provide greater context for recruiters.

2. Don’t apply for jobs that you are not qualified for. While it might seem like a good idea to reach for the stars, if you continue to apply for jobs that you are under- or overqualified for, you will be wasting everyone’s time. Likewise, be wary of applying for too many positions at a single company as software can track that as well. Granted, if there are two positions at the same company that are similar and that you are a good candidate for – go for it. But don’t apply for an entry-level customer service position and a team lead at the same company, which can show lack of focus or self-awareness.

3. Make your resume easy to read and easy to scan. Whether a machine or human is reviewing your resume, it should be easy to follow and comprehend. Whether you use a chronological (scanners are reported to prefer this option) or functional resume, include the most recent information first and use bullets for easier reading and scanning. Ask someone who doesn’t know you well to review your resume and ensure it is well-organized.

4. Don’t get too fancy. First of all, don’t try to cheat the system by looking up ways to fool automatic scanning software; if you are overstuffing keywords in your resume and cover letter, for example, this will quickly be flagged. Then, don’t overdesign your resume – this can make it harder to review, no matter who is taking a look. Many scanning systems convert resumes to text-only files, so you will lose formatting; in addition, tables, images and text boxes can get messy pretty quickly. Stick with common fonts such as Arial, Times New Roman or Cambria. Bolding, italicizing and underlining are all ok.

Finally, stick with a .doc format for the easiest scanning experience and make sure you spellcheck everything before you send out your resume.

Once you take the time to appropriately update your resume to get past the robots, you will likely receive more “thank you for applying and we would like to talk with you further” responses to your job applications.

Tips for Writing a Resume That Gets Noticed

Your resume can make the difference between getting a foot in the door and getting filtered out before the first interview ever takes place. It definitely pays to put in the time and effort if you want your resume and your skills to get noticed.

The following five tips can help you succeed when it comes to writing a resume that gets you noticed:

• Plan ahead. Focus on the key sections – your objective, professional experience, education, special skills – and determine how this will resume will help you get an interview. The more organized you are, the more it will show in the final result. Prepare an outline before you start writing so you know what you are going to include and what you are going to leave out.

• Employ action verbs and bullet points. Action verbs are strong and incisive and can clearly showcase your skills. You can choose words such as: managed, planned, developed, presented, coordinated, engaged and increased. Bullet points help you make concise, easy-to-read statements about your experience for a better reading experience.

• Be specific. “Grew department revenue by 30 percent year over year” is more powerful than “Increased department revenue.” Use specific numbers, percentages, dollar amounts and dates to really drive home your point.

• Focus on the positive. Make sure you accentuate the positive – and leave out the negative – throughout your resume. Share special accomplishments, unique skills, awards and other winning work. You can list your contact information at the top, but you don’t need to share any personal information beyond that.

• Turn to key words. Key words are great for getting your resume noticed – some companies even use scanners that seek out words relevant to jobs posted. Likewise, they can show that you have the right job or industry knowledge. For example, a market research professional could mention expertise in voice of customer work, developing actionable customer insights and analyzing high-level data and research.

Finally, you can continue to hone your resume for each job you apply for, adding in key words and skills that the company is specifically looking for. Your resume is a living, breathing document that can continue to grow and develop as your skills do.

CV Red Flags That May Prevent You From Getting the Job You Want

For recruiters, selecting the right candidate to match client specifications is essential. But, it’s also a recruiter’s job to support our candidates and help them put their best foot forward to a prospective employer. To do so, candidates need to put forward compelling CV content that’s well-structured. 

Of course, if left unchecked, even minor CV errors present red flags that won’t land candidates the job or even the interview. Here are some specifics to watch out for:  

• CV’s that aren’t tailored to the job – A CV shouldn’t just be a document listing a candidate’s career and educational history. Rather, it should showcase a candidate’s suitability for the specific opportunity or sector they’re pursuing. So, CV’s should be adapted to match each job description, including specific keywords and core strengths. 

• CV’s with poor formatting - CV structure is almost as important as the content within. Candidates should format for easy reading by breaking up large blocks of text, using bullet points and bold headings to create distinctive sections.

• CV’s that focus on duties, not achievements – Candidate CV’s should focus on the impact they made within a previous organization. The goal is to highlight key accomplishments with sector-specific achievements that prove value. 

• CV’s littered with clichés - Overused phrases add nothing to a CV. They just take up valuable space that should instead be used for more in-depth descriptions and specific, unique content.   

• CV’s contain unexplained gaps – Any unexplained gaps in your career should be honestly addressed. Context is key to explaining these variances to employers. Those who are open and upfront are more likely to be considered than candidates who try to hide gaps.  

By keeping your candidate in-check and helping them watch out for these common CV red flags, they’ll be more likely to secure the opportunity, which will not only reflect well on them but on you.