Got five minutes? What about five seconds? It only takes an instant to make a fantastic impression. In turn, it takes just as long to make a poor impression. Unbeknownst to you, one minor false move, and — just like that — hiring managers and recruiters are putting your résumé in the slush pile. Here are several ways to avoid becoming that guy or gal:
While composing your r ésumé
Of course, résumés should be stacked with copious skills and experience and not riddled with typos and grammatical errors. John Goudreau, senior sourcing specialist at Monster with five-plus years of recruiting experience explains: “I think it goes without saying, but the biggest mistake on a person’s résumé which can be an opportunity killer is spelling and grammatical errors.”
Another mistake? Length. If the CV is too long or too short, it can raise eyebrows. For instance, Goudreau points out that if you have more than 10 years of experience, and your résumé is only one page, you are, “either selling yourself short or you haven’t accomplished much in your career.”
On the contrary, if your résumé is four pages long, and you’ve worked for four years after graduating from college, you’ll immediately be evaluated as not having succinct communication skills to convey yourself in a clear and concise way. Add arrogance to the list for thinking too highly of yourself, and your candidacy may be immediately squashed.
While writing your cover letter
Sarah Donohue, another senior sourcing specialist at Monster with five-plus years of experience, says cover letters should be customized for the roles you’re applying for. If you make it too generic and don’t show you put some time and research into crafting it, recruiters scanning it in literally seconds may not take it (and consequently, your candidacy) seriously.
Plus, Donohue adds: “Always be sure to ask for an interview at the bottom of your cover letter, rather than say something like, ‘I hope to have a chance to speak further with you.’ This projects your confidence, which you always want to do without seeming too over the top.”
Goudreau points out that the cover letter is essentially a secondary document to your résumé. When he gets hooked by a résumé, then he will look at the cover letter. The biggest mistake he’s seen? Cover letters not tied to the résumé and vice versa. If you’re in sales and describe yourself in the cover letter as having the ability to build relationships with clients, he expects to also see that accomplishment on your résumé.
During the interview
You had me at hello. Or in this case, maybe you lost me at hello. “Many mistakes can be made in the first five seconds of the interview,” Donohue says. “First impressions are lasting!” Always stand up to greet the interviewer with a smile and firm handshake. Sure, it’s interviewing 101, but she’s seen plenty of interviews where candidates remained sitting the entire time.
Goudreau emphasizes the importance of questions. If you don’t have questions, that’s a major mistake. “The response of ‘I think you covered everything I needed to know’ doesn’t work for me and most other interviewers.”
While considering a thank-you note
Not sending one is one of the biggest errors you can make. Goudreau recalls: “We recently interviewed two people for one role, and both candidates were relatively close in experience. One candidate wrote a thank-you note, and the other did not. I’m not going to say that the final decision hinged on the thank-you note, but it did come up in the post-interview discussions. Ultimately, we hired the individual who sent the thank-you note.”
The recommendation? Send the note to the interviewer via email or snail mail within 24 hours of the interview. “Handwritten notes are starting to become a lost art, but can go a long way,” Donohue says.
During job offer negotiating
There are two key points to avoid flubbing regarding the offer. The first is transparency. Donohue recommends being transparent in the beginning of the process regarding start date, availability to work, salary requirements and more. Changing your tune at the last minute can create issues that could have easily been avoided. And if things change during the process, like if you receive other offers at the same time, tell the recruiter right away. This can expedite the hiring process.
Secondly, once you land a coveted offer, one of the biggest faux pas to avoid is over-negotiating. Goudreau says that yes, in most cases an offer can be negotiated a little bit, but he’s seen candidates go back and forth with potential employers two, three or even more times in negotiation. “I have seen on occasion a company pull an offer from a candidate, because they were too demanding. Don’t wear out your welcome before you’ve even walked in the door.”
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