Partner Article

The dos and don’ts of job applications

We all make mistakes at some point in our lives – it’s part of human nature. However, there is one golden rule that must always be adhered; never make a mistake when applying for a job.

Check out these job application howlers and make sure you don’t make the same mistake!

Email address

Always make sure job applications are sent from a professional account.

We’ve received far too many applications from inappropriate, personal addresses - one of the most shocking has to be ‘ganja.man.2k14@…..’! We’ve changed it slightly to spare his blushes, and yes, our faces dropped too when we read the address!

We recommend you create an account which uses your first and last name to form the address e.g.John.Doe@gmail.com

P.S. You may have already guessed, but ‘ganja.man.2k14@’ went straight in the ‘NO’ pile!

CV format

CVs are your very own marketing document – they act as your pitch to sell yourself to a recruiter.

They are a formal document that should be Word processed and have taken you considerable time to put together.

It goes without saying that a CV on the back of a ready meal box will not do you any favours. Yes, we really did receive this, but on the upside the meal smelt nice!

If you think your CV could benefit from some external help visithttp://www.prospects.ac.uk/how_to_write_a_cv.htm which explains how a CV should look.

Read the job advert

Always read the job description! Common sense, we know, but a lot of people fail to do this.

And, if you are unsure about anything in the advert, ASK!

We once had someone apply for a Class 1 Driver role because they thought they were a “class 1 driver” (as in a first class driver). Had the person cleared their confusion with us, this would not have happened.

This can hamper your chances of being successful in future applications with us, so please do take care.

Personal greeting messages

Personal greeting messages make a fantastic first impression if used properly.

However, we’re noticing an increasing trend among young people who record novelty greeting messages. This may be funny when your friends call, but this is not what we expect when ringing potential candidates.

Messages should be kept simple and to the point - explain you are busy and ask the person to leave their name and number so you can get back to them.

Pictures

If you do decide to attach a photo to your CV, make sure it portrays you in a positive light. No pouting, excessive make-up, silly poses or drinking alcohol, please!

We did have one applicant who sent a photo of himself downing a pint of beer whilst wearing a hospital gown – you can probably gather this gentleman was not put forward for the job!

Proof-read

It is vital you put 110% effort into your application and be vigilant of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

Don’t always rely on auto-correct it can actually, in some cases, make inadvertent errors. One application told us to go away in an impolite manner instead of thanking us. The application was to a good standard, but the silly mistake meant we were unable to progress it.

On a positive note…

Be personal

We receive hundreds of applications and CVs every day – your job is to make yours stand out!

Little personal touches can make a big difference and give your application personality.

One that caught our eye said he was 55, but added his Wii-fit age was 33. This shows the person has a good personality and humour which supported the statements he had made about himself.

Don’t be afraid to put your personal stamp on your application – individuality is unique and means you’re different from the hundreds of generic applications we receive.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Temp-Team .