It’s been weeks that you haven’t received any job interview invitation. Though you think you’re qualified for the role you’re applying for, you might not be aware that there are some things that are considered a turnoff in a job application. It could be one little thing on your resume that hinders you from getting the response that you want. Since your resume is the first glimpse that your target employers can have about you, being careful on what you put on it will help you land your dream job. Know the things that you should be mindful about your resume. Otherwise, your chance of getting invited for a job interview would be slim to none.
1. Vague file name
This is the first thing that recruiters notice on your resume. If they see that your resume has an inappropriate or vague file name as they open their email to check on job seekers’ profiles, they will think you’re not serious enough in your application. Some examples of a vague file name could be resume.doc, jobapplication_1.doc, applicant.doc, and etc. Hiring managers would choose to see a specific job title on your file name. That one should be the position you’re applying for in their company. It conveys your desire for that role and not just an another option for your job search efforts.
2. Career objective
Many applicants still put their career objective on their resume. It usually goes like this, “to apply for the position where I can use my skills to contribute to your organization.” Hiring managers already know that you’re going to use your relevant skills when you get hired for the job. Also, it’s obvious that it would lead to having your contribution to the company. What they want to know is why you’ll be able to do this. So, instead of a career objective, a professional summary would be a good fit. It’s like your elevator pitch where you can state your qualifications that are relevant to your target job.
3. Irrelevant personal information
While it’s necessary to include your physical address and contact details, putting other information such as your weight, height, religion, and your skin color is not helpful in your application. Unless you’re applying for the position of a flight attendant where height matters, then it’s okay to state your height. Also, your hobbies can’t help you land the job. But if you’re applying for the role of a photographer, then putting photography as your hobby would be fine. Generally, employers are not after these personal information. What they need to know is how you can significantly contribute to their organization.
4. Company-specific jargon
Companies have their own internal terminologies about their systems, processes, and tools. Thus, using terms that are only known to a specific company will not help you attract the hiring manager’s attention. It will actually do the opposite thing. Your potential employer might lose interest in reading your resume because of the terms not known to them. Remember, your resume should compel them to reach out to you. Therefore, your qualifications should be clear enough to have them do so.
5. Unprofessional email address
Using unprofessional email address will break your chances of getting invited for an interview. Imagine the hiring manager seeing your email address like [email protected] or [email protected], that could only make you look unprofessional. So, try to create a professional one. It’s free and would only take you a minute or two. That little effort can save your resume from being deleted from the list of potential candidates.
Don’t let a job opportunity slip away from your hands by considering these information. It can help you revamp your resume. Most of these seem to be just little things. But these simple stuff can actually hold you back from getting to the interview door. You don’t want this to happen. So, pay attention to these details and fix things up when necessary.
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