As a job seeker, we want to do every single thing that will help us find a good job for ourselves. In the process, we follow the mandatory processes such as looking for job of our interest, finding jobs, updating to submitting our CVs, writing cover letter/ e-mails and so on. However, it brings us to confusion, when we do not get replies from the employer side.
Why?
It’s mostly because of the most common job application mistakes we make while applying for a job. Many recruiters believe that, work candidates routinely make some normal job application mistakes that can be fixed effortlessly.
How to fix it?
You, yourself are responsible for the quality control of your work which implies giving careful consideration to each progression in the application procedure. It helps to guarantee that your message is on target and specific to what the employer is looking for.
What are the mistakes that candidates make?
The mistakes that candidates make while applying for jobs are very simple and can be fixed with minimal effort but important ones.
Below are 6 tips to avoid the job application mistakes that you make:
- Team up your CV and cover letter
- Follow instructions
- Be specific about the position
- Watch that messy grammar
- Feature achievements, not obligations/ responsibilities
- Keep it short
Team up your CV and cover letter
One of the common mistake that job candidates make is their cover letter and CV does not go corresponding with each other. Take a note that your CV and cover letter should shine as a team (content should complement one another) which helps you get noticed in employer’s sight.
Follow instructions
We are so used to following the mainstream job application process, we often ignore to carefully read the instructions given by employer. Every company has its own set of rules and application procedure. We need to give some time to see if the company has different approach to accept the applications and follow the instructions if given, instead of directly jumping into the process that we have set in our head.
Be specific about the position
You have to be specific about the job you are applying for.. It keeps the impression that you are clear about your career goals instead of showing yourself too desperate by leaving the “position applied for” blank or answering “any”. It’s a huge No-No.
Watch that messy grammar
A correct grammar is an essential part of a quality CV and cover letter. Consistent and a well-structured language maintains the quality of a good application.
Make sure you do not use past tense in first half of the CV and switch to using present tense in the second half or similar condition. Have a trusted friend to do the proof reading of your CV and cover letter to make he/she catches the mistake you might not have realized.
Also, it’s always better to use active voice instead of passive voice. For example, “I deliver my work before deadlines.” is better way to write instead of “deliveries of my work is done before deadline.”
Feature achievements, not obligations
It is always a better idea to highlight your achievements and the impact you made to your previous organization instead of telling what you were responsible for. Anyone can be responsible for anything. What makes you different is if you turned those responsibilities into your achievements by being good at it.
Keep it short
According to a study, recruiters spend an average of six seconds reviewing an individual resume. That means you want to grab the attention of the employer in these mere seconds. Hence, the idea is keep it really specific highlighting mostly your skills, academic qualification and experiences on the priority basis. You don’t need to be creative with your resume. Keep it professional.
Hence, applying for the job by submitting your CV and cover letter merely does not get your work done. You have to make sure you apply for the job in the right way.
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