In today’s turbulent world, getting an interview has become even more difficult. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 25% of U.S. adults say they or someone in their household was laid off or lost their job because of the coronavirus outbreak. With this in mind, it is extremely important to take all necessary steps to ensure your resume stands out (in a good way).
Above all, to help you out we’ve outlined some of the top reasons you’re not getting interviews along with ways to avoid mistakes that will cost you your next job interview.
Reason: Didn’t Follow Directions.
This is a mistake no one should make. Therefore, your potential employer will want to know you are able to follow directions.
Solution: Follow Directions!
✔️Read the directions out loud to a friend. Then go over them together taking notes.
✔️Don’t rush. Once you’ve prepared everything give yourself a few hours before hitting send to ensure you didn’t forget anything
✔️If you feel the directions are confusing don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for clarification.
Reason: Lackluster Resume
There’s a lot of competition out there so you’re going to need to be sure you put your best foot forward and make a strong first impression. Your resume should sell your credentials.
Solution: Have a Professional Help You
There are people who make their entire career out of helping people like yourself create top-notch resumes.
✔️ Don’t rely on friends or free templates.
✔️ Look for someone with a strong track record of building customized resumes.
✔️Work closely with whoever you hired to ensure your resume accurately represents your skillset.
Reason: Social Media
In today’s digital world, it is extremely likely your potential employer is going to check out your social media. In fact, this is usually one of the very first things they’ll likely do. If your social media. There are countless stories of qualified candidates not getting the gig because of the story their social media told.
Solution: Clean Up Your Online Presence ASAP
✔️ Start with a simple google search. Do you like the results you see?
✔️ Set your social channels to private. This way only your connections see your posts.
✔️ Delete incriminating or inappropriate posts. Nothing good can come from these.
Reason: Typos and Grammar Mistakes
If your cover letter and/or resume are riddled with misspellings, formatting issues, and grammar mistakes you have almost a zero chance of getting an interview.
Solution: Proofread, Proofread, Proofread
In today’s competitive world, there’s just no excuse for having typos in your resume. In other words, it’s one of the fastest ways to get your resume tossed out.
✔️Don’t rush.
✔️Re-read your cover letter and resume. Try reading out loud.
✔️Use tools like Grammarly to triple check your work.
Reason: Cluttered Resume
Is your resume all over the place? To clarify, if your resume does not tell a clear, focused, story it will likely be tossed in the “No” pile.
Solution: Declutter
Make it easy for people to understand your career path and how that journey will help you shine in the position you’re applying for.
✔️Focus your resume on job experience that’s relevant to a specific position you’re applying to.
✔️ Leverage your cover letter to tell a clear, concise story of your career journey
✔️ Address key questions employers want to know: What can you do for me? What have you done before? Can you do it again?
We at Ignite Your Potential have a long history of helping professionals create compelling resumes. If you want more tips, or would like one of our expert coaches to help you one-on-one we offer complimentary 25-minute phone sessions.