10 Mistakes you make in your Applications

Perhaps it’s a question of semantics, but really, when recruiters call for resumes to fill an opening, they are asking for qualified candidates to send in their applications.

An application involves more than just your resume. It's an invitation for you to make a case for why you should be considered for the role advertised.

Here are 10 common mistakes I have observed that applicants make when applying for a role.

1.   Sending the resume with no other information in the body of the email

This is tantamount to taking your application to a recruiter’s desk, tossing it on the desk and walking away… with the recruiter seated right there! An email may not be the place for an extended conversation, but a few words introducing yourself and especially driving home the value you can bring will arouse the recruiter’s interest.

2.   Applying for the wrong role

The role calls for an ‘Accountant’ who would perform a few administrative functions, your subject says ‘Administrative Officer’. I find this usually happens when the notice of the opening comes through a friend or contact who emphasizes the wrong requirements for the role. It’s always best to see the entire advertisement yourself. The recruiter might not even look at your resume in a case like this.

3.   Wrong Email Subject

If you’ve done your homework, you’d realise that the subject of an application is usually the role advertised for. Instead, I sometimes find email subjects like ‘I want to apply for…’ or ‘please find ‘attach’ my CV…’ This does not give a good impression.

4.   Improperly labelled Resume

This is when the resume attached reads like, ‘updated CV’ ‘400926145… 63846’ or ‘My recent Cv’. Your name is the best way to label your resume.

5.   No job Content in the Resume

When detailing your work experience, if all you write is ‘XYZ Company, Accountant, 2013 – 2014’ with no information about your achievements or what you did on the job, you make it difficult for the recruiter to assess if your experiences matche the advertised role. Consequently, your resume will likely be discarded.

6.   Lexis and Grammar

‘Please find my resume attached below’. Resumes are typically attached to the email or enclosed in an envelope, not usually ‘attached below’.

7.   Your previous experience has nothing to do with the role advertised.

Yep, this really happens. The ad is for an Accountant and someone that read Sociology and has done nothing in accounting applies for the role. I don’t think this needs further explanation for why the resume is summarily discarded.

8.   Not addressing the email to anyone

Your application starts with ‘I wish to apply for the advertised role.. .’ No “dear recruiter, hiring manager, human resources manager…’, nothing. Who then are you sending the application to?

9.   No Sign Off

You tell the recruiter in your email that you wish to apply for the role and then don’t sign off your email; no ‘regards, John Doe’ or even just ‘John Doe’. Remember you are trying to put your best foot forward. Every little bit helps.

10. Attach Supporting Documents

Except specifically asked for, don’t attach your NYSC certificate, training certificates, University certificates and Secondary School certificates. Please send only your resume. Attaching those make you look either desperate or old fashioned. The information should already be in your resume anyway!