Yahoo Finance The job application deal-breakers you need to know about
Job interviews are about stepping into the unknown: you won’t know if you’ll get along with the hiring manager, or the kind of curveball questions you might get hit with.
But you could be ruining your chances before you even land the interview.
If you’re job-hunting, a spokesperson from jobs site Seek reveals some pet hates of recruiters and hiring managers that you need to know about before you submit that job application:
1. Don’t have gaps in your work history
These black holes will make your boss question what you’re hiding, said the spokesperson.
“You may have taken time off work to travel or have a family, but leaving large periods of time unaccounted for can leave recruiters and employers wondering what you were up to.
“Instead of waiting for the interviewer to question you about it, be upfront and honest with them!”
2. Resumes that go on forever
When it comes to your resume, the advice is to keep it short and sweet.
“If there are 100 other people vying for the job you’ve applied for, submitting a concise, two-page resume – rather than a long-winded four-page resume – is going to help you attract the attention of time-poor employers.”
3. Choking your resume with jargon
There are some words you need to delete from your resume immediately, like ‘enthusiastic’ and ‘people person’ – and it’s a surefire way to turn off a potential employer, or their assistant.
“Including industry jargon and buzzwords that really don’t mean all that much on your resume. You never know who may end up reading over your resume,” the spokesperson said.
“It could be a personal assistant assigned the task of creating a shortlist or a recruiter unfamiliar with your current industry.”
4. Sending an inappropriate profile picture
Unless they specifically request a photo, your first mistake is sending an image at all.
“It doesn’t help to demonstrate your skills and proficiencies. If you’re going to send one, make sure it isn’t a selfie or photo from a party – this happens more often than you think!”
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