The worst application sins
Are you looking for a new job?
Then not only the prospect of a new professional career opportunity awaits you, but also some pitfalls.
Be it a lack of grammar or spelling mistakes; Many a stumbling block can quickly mean the end.
So that no faux pas happen to you, here are our lists of the biggest application sins:
1) Wrong salutation
Copy the application and rewrite it for the new company and it's done: You forgot to change the title in the cover letter. Instead of “Ms. Mustermann”, “Mr. Müller” is now addressed personally. The red alarm bells ring here for the first time for every HR employee. Therefore, always remember the to indicate correct person, if it has an academic degree or title, please also state this. In the event that you cannot find a contact person in the advertisement, call the company directly and inquire.
2) Wrong company address
Pay attention here also to a correct spelling and addresses coordinated with the company homepage.
3) Standard letter without reference to the company
If you are actively looking for a job, you will certainly not be writing just one application a day. But even if the temptation is great: Never use a standard letter as a cover letter that you have copied from any website. HR personnel know the standard phrases inside and out. An impersonal cover letter is therefore not very popular.
4) Typing and careless mistakes or grammatical mistakes
Even if you have found the perfect job offer and would like to apply for it as soon as possible: Pay attention to accuracy and check your typing and careless mistakes. Nothing seems more unprofessional than mistakes in the application. This shows the manager in advance that you are not very reliable. Of course, this also applies to grammatical errors.
5) No reference to the job advertisement in the cover letter
Nothing is more annoying than a missing reference to the job advertisement you are applying for. The recruiter doesn't know what you're applying for? Then your application will quickly be on the rejection stack, although you might be qualified to do so. So don't shoot yourself offside.
6) A novel as a cover letter
In general, a cover letter should not exceed one A4 page. If there are three more lines, no one will tear your head off right away. However, they should not be too debauched. Nobody likes to read a multi-page cover letter if they have a maximum of a few minutes for your application.
7) Year numbers do not match
Always make sure that the dates you mention on your résumé actually match your documents. If this is not the case, you will appear imprecise.
8) Missing contact details
No matter whether in the cover letter or in the résumé. Include your contact details in each of your documents. Honestly: How should your future manager reach you if you don't provide a phone number?
9) Inappropriate photo
Yes, on the last vacation photo your complexion may appear even and healthy and you are literally shining with the sun. Nevertheless, you should prefer a professional photo. Read exactly what an application photo should look like and which criteria it should meet here.
10) Missing attachments
Whether you apply online or by email: always check whether all the attachments are actually listed.
11) Inconsistent typeface
You should not only pay attention to the content, but also to a uniform layout or typeface. It is precisely such details that HR personnel may immediately notice because they do not harmonize with one another.
The difference between failure and success is doing something almost right or doing something exactly right.
Edward C. Simmons
