Last week, we wrote about things recruiters look for, along with things they don’t like. This week, we’re detailing some common jobseeker mistakes that recruiters advise to avoid:
Not Cleaning Social Media
It’s a mistake to assume employers can’t track your social media accounts if you use different usernames. Many companies use technology that can scan and quickly locate your profiles to compile your online presence and activity. Now, removing postsecondary partying photographs from your Instagram might not be enough. Ensure your comments on Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media remain consistent with who you portray yourself as.
Not Consulting Hiring Personnel
It’s a mistake to completely avoid talking to those making the decisions. Try connecting with recruiters and hiring managers to ask for advice. They want the most important things about you at the top of your resume’s first page. Would you read through the hundreds of resumes that exceed the recommended one-to-two-page maximum? Probably not. Recruiters don’t want anything from you that suggests you don’t understand the location’s hiring process policies. Avoid the headshot and any personal financial information. Also, always address any potential cautions on your resume through a cover letter. If you have significant employment gaps, have moved from company to company often, or are applying to a different career path, you should explain in a cover letter.
Not Maintaining Traditional Terminology
It’s a mistake to get too creative. Avoid those cliché buzzwords and stick to common headers. Include a reasonable keyword frequency for words relating to your qualifications and the position. Applicant tracking systems prefer traditional terminology and calculate keyword frequency. Remember, most applications aren’t viewed by humans because they are eliminated in the initial screening by applicant tracking systems – software that many employers use to accelerate the hiring process by organizing, screening, and filtering a large candidate pool to shortlist for a position.