How to stand out when applying for a Job and what to avoid while in process-Up for Debate

“I’ve applied to so many positions but have had no interviews. What am I doing wrong?” or “ I had an initial interview and never move forward after that.”

These are comments I see and hear far too often, so for this months “Up for Debate” topic I thought I'd talk about the do’s and don'ts when applying and interviewing for a job. I'll provide tips on how to make your resume stand out and offer some advice on what to avoid during the interview process in order to keep you moving forward and keep your resume out of the trash.

There are many ways to stand out when applying for a job and your resume is your first impression. Having worked Agency side in addition to In-house Corporate, I have worked with many hiring managers and Executives across diverse industries ranging from Cannabis to Med Device, major ecommerce brands, popular clothing brands, and Tech Start-ups. Companies range in culture and hiring processes, but there is always a few common patterns I have seen in terms of choosing resumes to review.

Some common reasons for not getting call backs for job interviews or not progressing in the interview process can include not “tailoring” your resume correctly, having a resume that’s longer than it should be for your experience, job hopping, bad mouthing previous employers and a number of other reasons. Most job seekers create a resume with the goal of seeming as impressive as possible. That’s not what a hiring manager is looking for though, especially not at first. They’re taking your resume, putting it side-by-side with the job description and deciding if you have the skills and experience needed to do this specific job. They want to see evidence that you can come in and perform well from day 1.

As a recruiter, the first place I look on your resume is the bullets under your recent work experience. If it looks like a good potential fit, I look closer to see your resume summary and other sections. Make sure to proofread before sending and scan for typos, missing periods and commas. Choose a format and stick to it! One of my biggest pet peeves when reviewing CVs are when font style and size change throughout the document and its riddled with spelling and grammar errors. Well written resumes free of errors, along with listing targeted bullet points on your resume is essential if you want to get callbacks for interviews. Here are some?common (and overlooked!) mistakes on job applications—and how to make your job application error-free.

1.Spelling and Grammar errors

Misspelling the Company’s Name. You could have sworn that the company was X Company, Inc. Turns out, it’s XZ Company, LLC. A hiring manager might take offense that you didn’t take the time to?spell the company’s name correctly. Check the company’s website for the official spelling of its complete name and use that in your application. Of course, you know the various usages of “their,” “there,” and “they’re,” but if you’re filling out a job application quickly, there’s a chance that you might slip and use the wrong word. Bad grammar skills can cost you the job?because it reflects poorly on your ability to proofread your job application.

2. Incorrectly Addressing the Cover Letter

I can't tell you how often I see a cover letter addressed to a different Company. I totally understand that a person may use the same cover letter for multiple job applications but please take the time to review before sending and make sure you are addressing the company you are applying for. Otherwise, there’s a good chance you won’t get an interview. If nothing else, it demonstrates that you don’t pay attention to details or didn’t read the entire job posting.

3. Your resume has responsibilities but not accomplishments

One reason you might not be getting job interviews is related to your resume, specifically your employment history section. Most job seekers make a big mistake here, listing responsibilities only.

Like this:

Responsible for ____

This is NOT going to impress a hiring manager or a recruiter because it’s just telling them what work your boss assigned you to do, not what you accomplished.

Start your bullets with a verb when possible (like “led,” or “grew,” etc.)

Examples:

Led a team of five to do ___

Grew company’s social media following from 900,000 to 2.1 million in nine months

4. You’re trying to send applications via "quick apply" links and not “tailoring” your resume In short – you want to re-order your bullet points to show the employer what’s most important to THEM. And you want to make sure to include some keywords from the job description on your resume, too. Start by identifying what’s most important to the company. The key to making your resume attractive to a company is to tailor it to the job description. You can use the job description to figure out their needs and priorities and then make your resume mirror that.

Things to look for:

• What responsibilities are mentioned first? What’s mentioned lower down and might be less important.
• What specific requirements or qualifications do they list?
• Are any themes repeated throughout? (like leadership, multitasking, organization, etc.)

Match your resume content with the job description

Now that you understand a bit about what the company wants, look at your resume. You want to tailor your resume to the job description, starting by matching the most important things on the job description with the most visible areas on your resume. Make the first few bullet points under each previous job on your resume be as relevant as possible.

Reorder, add, remove

You can accomplish what I described above with a few different methods. First, you can reorder the bullet points and info you already have. Push the most relevant experience to the beginning of each section and move other less-relevant pieces lower down. I’m mentioning this first because it’s easiest. You’re just cutting and pasting different pieces, with no writing needed. Next, write new bullet points. You might see something on the job description, realize it’s not mentioned on your resume at all but it’s something you do have a bit of experience with. Add it! Finally, remove or delete information if the new bullet points you’ve added have made it redundant, or if it’s just not relevant at all.

5. You have a lot of job hopping or short-term positions listed on your resume

Job hopping is an instant red flag for employers because it indicates that you are not planning to stick with the company for the long term. If the interviewer spots any sign on your resume that you're a job hopper, they will likely interpret that as your disloyalty or instability. Your resume employment history is one of the first places recruiters and hiring managers look, so it’s one of the most important areas to tailor. Managers want to see that you can stay in a position for at least 3 years and if you have movement from one job to the next, you will likely be passed on.

One of the most common interview questions you’ll face: “Why did you leave your last job?” Maybe you left under odd circumstances and don’t want to share the whole truth. But you’re not sure what to say instead. I'm sure there are solid reasons for why you made a move but unfortunately a hiring Manager isn’t going to take the time to find out “why” when they have dozens of other applicants. I always suggest adding the reason for leaving in parentheses next to the dates of employment or explain in a cover letter if you have many positions on your resume that were one year or less. A few examples of reasons for leaving after a short time:

• Contract Position
• Laid off due to Pandemic
• Left for new opportunity that offered growth in my career
• Company went out of Business
• I reevaluated my career goals and decided a change was needed
• No opportunity to grow or advance further in that role so I decided a change would best for my career

6. You’re applying for positions that aren’t the right fit for your background

While you don’t need 100% of the job’s requirements to apply, you should have around 70-75% minimum. If you’re applying for jobs that you’re not at all qualified for, it could be part of the reason you’re not getting calls for interviews. If you want to try out a different career path and have some experience related to the job you're applying for, it is very important to include a cover letter explaining your goals and how your past experience can cross over into this new career path.

7. You have a large, recent gap in employment

If you have a big gap in employment at or near the top of your resume, you really need to address it. Gaps can occur due to all sorts of reasons. Maybe you were raising a child, recovering from an injury or illness, or couldn't find a new job after your last one. In most cases, employment gaps aren't a big deal. That is unless the gap is big enough to make the interviewer suspicious. A gap lasting a few months is usually fine, but one lasting a year or two will require some explanation to the interviewer. Try listing your employment in years instead of months in your employment history if that helps, write a cover letter to explain the circumstances of why you left your previous job and how the issue has resolved itself (for example if you had an illness but have now recovered). If you did consulting or freelance work, make sure to include that to fill the gap. Adding one or more of these things can definitely help, but make sure you’re addressing your employment gap one way or another so that it stops preventing you from getting calls for interviews.

Tips to help move forward in the interview process:

Many people find job interviews to be uncomfortable because of their fear of rejection. But by identifying the red flags that employers look for and practicing avoiding them, you’ll stand a better chance at landing the job.

1. Don’t bad-mouth your past work relationships

When the interviewer asks you “Why are you leaving your current job?” and you start revealing all of what's wrong with your boss or coworkers, that's a giant red flag. Your stories might be true, but that's not what they want to hear as an answer. Try to be thoughtful about how you answer this question. When you talk poorly about a previous employer that can indicate a bad personality or lack of character. The correct way to dodge this red flag is to simply give your interviewer what they want: a work-appropriate answer. Something that doesn't make them hesitant. This question is a bit tricky because what's appropriate might not always be honest. Don't say things like your boss made you work overtime for free, your coworker didn't listen to you, or your manager took all the credit for your work. It might be true, but this is not the time to complain or blame. You could say things like: "I love working at my current job, but I feel there aren't enough opportunities available for me to grow within the company." or "I've reached my performance cap and I'm looking for a company that can offer me opportunities for growth by giving me additional responsibilities."

2. Be on time for your interview

Whether your interview is virtual or in person, it is extremely important to show up on time or slightly early. ?If it is a Virtual interview- make sure to download the meeting link prior to the call to make sure your internet connection and links are working. Time management is one of the key management skills every working professional should have. Being late to your interview can make the interviewer assume that you are incompetent, lack discipline, and have a bad work ethic. They may even find it disrespectful, as you wasted their time by not showing up when expected. While there are innocent reasons for being late to an interview, it's a good idea to prepare for any unforeseen events and show up a bit earlier.

3. Ask meaningful questions

In an ideal job interview, you screen the company just as much as they screen you. Remember, they need your services too so it's recommended to exchange questions for more clarity. The interviewer can interpret your inability to ask meaningful questions as disinterest in the role. On the other hand, asking the right questions can make you stand out in the interview and seem highly conscientious and ambitious.

In Summary, Hiring managers look for things to weed out people who are unlikely to be successful in the job. Don’t make your application one of the first ones discarded. Avoiding these?common mistakes when applying for a position will help keep your application out of the trash and hopefully land you a great job! Please fell free to leave a comment below!