Trying to land the right job in this qualified application market is tough. You send out dozens of applications, only to receive very little response. Fortunately for you, we’ve rounded up the main mistakes that job applicants make so that you can avoid them and land that dream job.
1. Not reading the directions
It’s a refrain you often hear, but “follow the directions” and you could get the job. Each job posting requires different abilities and asks different questions and missing these important signs indicates to the company that you rushed through your application.
2. No cover letter
A cover letter is the best way to tell the employer about yourself and to charm them with the personality that they can’t see in your resume. An employer wants to know what kind of worker you are and see that you care about getting the job. It doesn’t have to be long but it should be interesting.
3. A generic cover letter
A standard cover letter can be worse than none at all. Writing “your company” shows your potential employer that you have written the same cover letter for several different jobs. This implies that you don’t think that their company is worth a little extra time and effort. Your cover letter should be a compelling story for the hiring manager of a particular company. You can have a template that you use, but make sure to tailor it.
4. Not researching
Your cover letter and resume should both reflect your desire to be a part of the company you’re applying to join. This is hard if you don’t know anything about the company, and a lack of research shows. Don’t neglect to do a little Google search and add some tailored details to your application.
5. Leaving gaps
This applies to both gaps in your application and gaps in your resume. Gaps in the application show that you either haven’t paid attention to the form or you don’t think the field applies to you. If it is the latter, explain why it doesn’t apply. This also applies to gaps in your resume. If you don’t explain that you took a year off to look after your sick grandmother, then the employer may assume that you are lazy or a moocher.
6. Not proofreading
Sending an application to employers rife with spelling and grammatical errors is a surefire way of telling them you don’t want the job. It says that you couldn’t be bothered to even read through your application a second time and also shows a lack of attention to detail.
7. Rambling on
Be succinct in your application. Your potential employer wants to know about your qualifications and how you would suit the role, not your childhood dreams.
8. Applying for everything
Employers want someone who is right for the job, so applying for a job that doesn’t suit your qualifications or your ambitions makes you look desperate.
9. Failing to include contact details
Hopefully the employer will want to contact you after receiving your application, and they need your contact details to do this. Don’t forget to include your name, email address, and phone number.
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