Ever get the feeling you’re sending resumes into a black hole, where they disappear without your qualifications and experience ever getting a good look? While it’s unlikely all your resumes are being ignored, you may be making some common resume mistakes that make hiring managers pass you by. Here are a few of the resume no-nos that can make your job hunt an exercise in futility.
Not Following Directions
This one should be a gimme, but many job hunters get so caught up in their job search they overlook little details like “only online applications accepted” or “online resumes with cover letters, please.” If a job ad specifies a certain method of applying, do it. You don’t want to stick out for the wrong reasons by ignoring application instructions.
Applying For the Wrong Jobs
Most hiring managers will tell you the first thing they look for on a resume is the qualifications they asked for in the job description, especially when it pertains to educational or experience requirements. If you’re applying for jobs that require more training or years of service than you have, you’re applying for the wrong jobs, and wasting your time as well as the time of the hiring manager.
Not Checking and Double-Checking Your Work
A job hunt can sometimes feel like a marathon — you’re forever racing against other applicants, racing against deadlines, racing to apply for as many jobs as you can. When time is tight, it can be tempting to dash off resumes without giving them a critical second look. Doing so, however, can mean you’re making glaring mistakes, such as reusing form cover letters without changing important information, misspelling words or making other grammar errors. Think that grammar and spelling aren’t that important? Think again: a resume full of mistakes tells interviewers that you don’t mind turning in shoddy work. Nobody wants that in a potential employee.
Not Standing Out From the Crowd
You’re applying for jobs for which you are qualified and your resume looks great, but you’re still not getting callbacks from employers? Hiring managers are often overworked and overwhelmed with resumes for every job, so having a little extra something to offer or an inside man to champion your resume is often the key to getting the job. But if you’ve done everything you can to improve your resume, or are new to the area or industry, getting your foot in the door can be almost impossible. You need someone in your corner, and there’s no better job-hunting partner than Staffing Partners. Our employment experts can offer you an inside track on the best temporary and temp-to-hire jobs in your field in the Portland, Eugene and Bend areas. Don’t let your resumes languish forgotten on a hiring manager’s overloaded desk — call our professional recruiters today and see what we can to help you achieve your career goals!
