First impressions count, this may sound so cliché, but bears a lot of truth. When it comes to job hunting, there are no second chances for you to impress. Recruiters/employers can get busy with tight schedules and consequently do not have time to talk to every candidate. This means that the snap impressions they make based on your CV count. Actually, they will determine whether you are invited for the interview or not. This may seem unfair, but it is how hiring in real life happens. Therefore your CV has to be spectacular to stand out of the stack of CVs on the employer’s desk, and you have to be careful about the way you present yourself, so that the employer makes the right assumptions about you. Here are some common assumptions recruiters make based on your CV, so that you can avoid being quickly eliminated from the list of prospective candidates.
- You are a job-hopper:
The quickest way recruiters eliminate candidates from the applicants’ pool is looking out for the ones who have held many jobs in short periods of time. If you have a lot of short-term employment on your CV, your application may be passed on for being a job hopper without even a chance to explain your work history. Draft your resume in a way that gives relevant information and presents you as a reliable candidate.
- You lack experience:
This calls for creativity especially for fresh candidates. For instance, if the first experience you have listed is Secretary General of the journalism club in university, and you are applying for a public relations officer position, then truthfully, your CV is going nowhere but the dustbin. The recruiter may be willing to accept the experience as relevant but this is not the way to present this information. You could make it easier by starting with the valuable skills you have learned in the previous role before telling the employer that you have no job experience.
- You don’t really want this job:
If your objective statement is vague or just shows a need to get a job to pay the bills, chances are high that your CV won’t see the light of day. Tailor your objective statement to suit the job you are applying for. This shows that you care about the job and you are willing to put some energy into it.
- Did you do your research?
This may happen if you do the application in a hurry. This is evident where your experience and skills do not match the job description or the company identity at all. Employers do not want to take chances on applicants that do not understand the needs of the company, since they end up dissatisfied with the job requirements and consequently end up being a liability to the company.
- You don’t follow directions:
This can be as simple as submitting your application manually as opposed to submitting online. Or including your CV as an attachment when the posting specifically said to paste it into the body of your email.
Truthfully, recruiters will not even bother reading a word of your application. These directions are provided for a reason, and for you not following them means you do not care. Your application is being eliminated because you don’t follow directions. How could an employer think that you would follow directions in the workplace?
- You have a bad attitude:
This is for instance if you called to ask whether the manager had looked at your CV. Or you included a cover letter that made you sound like you have a huge ego. You were rude in contact emails. Employers are not going to hire someone with a bad attitude. Most would rather wait to find a candidate than to hire someone who may end up being a problem employee.
- You were sloppy:
Is your CV filled with typos? If you didn’t take time to proofread your CV to get a job, the assumption is why would you proofread your work once you get the job?
- You lack professionalism:
This can be evident from your email address, for instance if your email address thehawtgawlxoxo@yahoo.com no one will ever take you serious or worse if your objective statement seems like a joke. If your resume makes you seem like you don’t take your job hunt seriously, you won’t be considered as a serious candidate, and you will not be getting a call about an interview.
With these tips in mind, it is easier to know what to avoid when drafting your CV and what to do to ensure you get that call for an interview. Good Luck.
Source : Ethiojobs