C A R E E R’ S
8 reasons why your resume is being
ignored
T
ired of applying for multiple positions and not being recruited? Find out what exactly you have
been doing wrong all these years. Resume is a
primary tool used by employers to screen potential candidates, which is why you need to revamp it so that they
are prompted to call you back. Here are eight common
mistakes Brand and Mortar and Money Smart identify
which you need to avoid:
1. You email address predates recorded history:
Pre-historic doesn’t mean the email id you made during high school. You need to stop using Hotmail or AOL
domains as they are outdated. Update your address to
a more contemporary address like Gmail. For marketing
and advertising positions, it is important to have a widely
used email address as it shows you are well aware of
the latest trends.
2. You use a selfie as your Linkedin profile picture:
Linkedin is a professional network so you don’t have
to pose like Bill Gates but at least have a professionallooking photo. You must have an appropriately sized
head shot while looking straight into the camera so that
your whole face shows.
3. You have multiple inactive social media accounts:
Recruiters appreciate if you have single social media account and you manage it well rather than having multiple
accounts and not being active. It’s not important to have
a million followers, although it is a bonus if you have a
few, but you need to be quite active with posting and re-
tweeting other’s posts in order to share content. It is particularly important if you are applying for positions that
involve digital mediums.
4. Your Facebook pictures question your maturity:
If you think recruiters avoid your social media presence,
then you are absolutely wrong. They go through comprehensive screening and that includes your Facebook account as well. Yes, they do understand it’s your personal
account but you can’t have your high school pictures if
you want to enter the professional world. Your shirtless
photos shouldn’t be in your public-facing profile.
5. You have applied for multiple positions:
You don’t have to show that you are desperate for a job
by applying for multiple positions within the same organisation. If you are not sure about the criteria you fit in,
you can always ask for assistance. Drop an email to the
hiring manager before sending in an application and you
may end up getting a job that suits your interests and
skills.
6. Use numbers other than your phone number:
This doesn’t mean put additional contact numbers but
it is really important to put up quantifiable figures that
will help measure your success over the past. As we
all know, competition has increased, recruiters need to
know your sales record or your reach on a campaign if
they want to hire you as their marketer.
7. You excessively use jargons:
Trust me nobody wants to know how you scored that 3.6
GPA. So, you need to keep it short
and simple. Just be concise about
what you have done and how it impacted the company instead of telling your “leverage responsibilities”
that had an impact on your organisation’s “directional strategy”.
8. Your resume isn’t a PDF file:
As digital means have taken over
the conventional job application
process, it is very important to
know the basics. If you are not
sending your resume as a PDF file
then you are making a mistake.
As we all know PDF files cannot
be formatted, it gives out a professional impression. It ensures that
employers see your resume as you
want them to.
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