We currently have two job openings, so I am getting resumes. Lots of resumes. Resumes by the pound.
And the vast majority of applicants are making some really dumb mistakes. For instance:
- No cover letter. A resume sent without a cover letter tells me that the applicant is not sufficiently interested to invest a few minutes in writing a decent cover letter. If you don’t care enough to write a cover letter, don’t bother applying.
- Cover letter for the wrong position. Of the resumes that did arrive with cover letters, about one third (!!!!) referenced a position at a different company. Several letters arrived looking something like this:
I am very interested in the position of [Not Our Position Name], especially since I am so interested in the [Not Us] industry. As you can see from my resume, I am very detail-oriented.
It’s not good when your resume makes me snort.
- When your phone rings, don’t sound hung over when you answer it, especially if the phone rings at a time when you have arranged to be interviewed by phone.
- When asked what you know about the company during an scheduled interview (as opposed to a random call), the correct answer is not, “Uh, I haven’t really had time to look at your web site.” If you’re not motivated enough to do 10 minutes of research when you’re looking for a job, what do you think that tells me about your future job performance?
For more on What Not to Do, check out Jack Molisani’s excellent The 10 Most Common Mistakes Technical Professionals Make When Looking for Work (PDF).
Happily, we also have a couple of excellent candidates, and I will try to put up a post on How To Get a Job after the holidays.
Sarah -
Sorry to report that your experience isn’t unique. I’m looking forward to your “How To” article once you hire.
Best of luck!
Troy at NotJobs
Ain’t hiring fun? I wish I kept one resume that I do believe is the pinnacle of WTFdom. The resume was arranged in text blocks (no outlines) with text varying in font and size per block. There was no order to the information, and no headings. I actually spent over half an hour reading it, just to figure out what logic might be applied (is it a puzzle?). Aside from the high level of eye time it received, of course it was round-filed right after. Perhaps it was a work of genius, but it obviously wasn’t the work of someone who wanted a job. Know your audience – people who are hiring don’t have the time to stumble through a puzzle to discover your unique qualities. Save it for the interview, if you’re so lucky.
How am I just now seeing this? I’m always amazed at how many folks applying for WRITER positions do not take the time to WRITE a cover letter. Come on, guys. Give me something I can work with.
Great post.