Writing a resume is a very dull and tedious job. It’s the last thing you want to, but the first thing you should do when looking for a job. And if you really want the job you should pay attention to details, and by details here I mean don’t make idiotic mistakes.
Being in a hiring position we get a lot of CVs and most of them we delete even before clicking on them and some we regret clicking on altogether. It seems like people have forgotten basic manners when applying for a job.
1. Take this, and go
If you are sending a half-cooked resume that has a subject line that reads: ‘Resume’, and body text that reads, ‘PFA’ just fuck off. You are a lazy ass who does not deserve a job, and no one wants to hire someone who can’t be bothered to write a line or two about what they are looking for. Take the trouble to show the hiring manager that you are worth his/her time. That you are a worthy candidate. There are dozens of resumes they are scanning through and you need to give them a reason for them to stop at you. Write the intent in the subject line or create intrigue for them.
2. File Name: Document31
Are you working in a secret services agency? You wish. And until you do change the file name of your resume. Please, pretty please, after you save the document the first thing you should do is CHANGE THE FILE NAME. The file name should be straightforward ‘First_Last_Resume’, or better yet include a trait so you stand out like, ‘First_Last_Content_Writer’.
3. References available on demand
Facepalm. Is your reference a celebrity? Morgan Freeman? Dwayne Johnson? No? Then why is so difficult for you to reveal his identity? You’re just being lazy again, aren’t you? This mystery is very off putting for a hiring manager. Just do your due diligence and identify two to three people who can vouch for you. Plug in their name, company, and email address. If you aren’t sure that you have any such person who can do that for you leave it out altogether.
4. You get my resume, you get my resume, you all get my resume
You are not Oprah and your resume – though a freebie – is not a free iPhone, therefore there is no reason to have more than one company inserted in the ‘To’ field of the email. You need to customize your Resume for every company and send it to them individually.
5. Who is this spell check? Whre we find?
Typos are sloppy. They should not happen in texts let alone resumes. It takes just two clicks to make sure you are on point with the spellings.
6. Its not to much too ask for
The headline for this is *cringe* for grammar nazis. They’re/there/their, your/you’re, its/it’s, to/too, and other such words are all grammatical errors found in most resumes. If you are confused go back to grade two or do what everyone is doing – use Google.
7. No rishta pictures, please
If you are adding a picture to your resume for goodness sake make it a professional one. No one wants to see you modelling for a shampoo commercial or a travel blog unless that is what you are applying for. And no one, absolutely no one will send you rishta based on it. Also, you are not applying for a visa so do not put any passport pictures either. Take a good professional picture and try one of those power poses.
These tips should help you understand that basic rules of getting hired. Look out for part 2 that takes a deeper dive into the contents of your resume.
