Resume and Cover Letter Blunders

~ RESUME ~

1. Too Focused on Job Duties. Your resume should not be a boring list of job duties and responsibilities. Go beyond showing what was required and demonstrate how you made a difference at each company, providing specific examples. Do not over embellish your resume
2. Flowery or General Objective Statement. Many job seekers lose their readers in the beginning. Replace the objective with a tagline stating what you do or your expertise.
3. Too Short or Too Long. As a general rule your resume should be one page, but that page should have substance. Make sure you’ve covered everything, but don’t be too verbose.
4. Listing Irrelevant Information. Many people include their interests, but they should include only those relating to the job. Personal information should not be on the resume.
5. Not Including Keywords. With so many companies using technology to store resumes, the only hope a job seeker has of being found is to sprinkle relevant keywords throughout the resume. Determine keywords by reading job descriptions that interest you, and include the words you see repeatedly in your resume.
6. Typos. Proofread. Use spellcheck or have someone else read your resume. This document is a reflection of you and should be perfect.

~ COVER LETTER ~

1. Not Using Standard Business-Letter Format. No recipient information, no return address and no date; unprofessional.

2. It's Not All About You. You need to tell the employer about yourself, but do so in the context of the employer's needs and the specified job requirements.
3. Typos and Grammatical Errors. Proofread every letter you send for typos and grammatical errors.
4. Unsupported Claims. If you make a claim about a skill and/or ability, give some examples; employers need proof.
5. Writing a Novel. A cover letter should be no longer than one page; 3-4 concise but convincing paragraphs that are easy to read.
6. Using the Same Cover Letter for Every Job and Company. It's time-consuming but worthwhile to customize each letter for the specific job and company. If you haven't addressed their company's specific concerns, they'll conclude you don't care about this particular job.
7. Not Sending a Real Cover Letter. Some job seekers -- college students, recent grads and even those with years of work experience -- don't bother sending a cover letter with their resume. Others type up a one or two-sentence "here's my resume" cover letter while others attach handwritten letters or sticky notes. Include a well-written, neatly formatted cover letter with every resume you send.

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