Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Why Resumes Are Rejected ?


Recruiters spend countless hours reviewing resumes and screening candidates. In fact, they spend so much time scanning resumes that they can often do it in a minute or less………

As disappointing as that may be, given all the hard work you put into your resume, it's the unfortunate reality. And with such a small amount of time to make an impression, it's no wonder that they occasionally get it wrong. You may have been the perfect person for the position, but because you failed to successfully package yourself, your resume and your chances end up meeting their demise with the click of a mouse. Read on to learn the top four reasons your resume may end up in a recycle bin or trash folder.

1. The length
Have you ever read a magazine article, short story, blog, etc., and thought, "Get to the point already?" Recruiters have the same response when they read over a three-page resume. Nine times out of 10 they will probably just move it to the rejection stack.
Your resume is not meant to be an exhaustive list of every job you've ever held, every award you have ever received, and every training program, club or activity you have ever attended. To make the best impression and have the best chance of making the cut, highlight those things on your resume that are most important to the position at hand.
Don't be afraid to use different resumes for different positions. Taking a few extra minutes on your end to tailor your resume could mean the difference between the hiring manager or the trash being the next recipient of your application.


2. No cover letter
If you are over- or under-qualified for a position, have a varied work history, or have skills that aren't highlighted on your resume, a cover letter is essential. While you may know your full life story, a recruiter does not.
What may appear as flaws in your experience may be explainable because you were trailing a spouse or taking time off to care for your family.
A one-size-fits-all resume may not explain why you are interested in and qualified for a position that isn't an exact match to your prior roles.

3. Grammar and spelling
We've all been there. We have reviewed a piece of writing, a proposal or, worse yet, our resume a million times and think it's perfect. For whatever reason, our eyes and spellchecker let us down, and we miss the blunder. The recruiter, however, does not.

4. Achievements vs. job description
One of the biggest and most frequent reasons that people fail to be noticed is that their resume lacks a job-details-vs.-results orientation. No matter how many big words you use to describe your job duties, if you fail to identify your contributions to past organizations, you may be passed over.
Companies want to know that they are getting value for their buck in today's market. It isn't enough just to be qualified for a position. They are looking for employees who can hit the ground running and make contributions fast. By highlighting how you have added to the success of a past employer, you are likely to catch a recruiter's eye and make it to the top of the pile.


3 comments:

  1. Thank you for your short and sweet post with teeth. :)

    I have written on topics like this for some time via my blogs, in concert with actual resume and job search professionals. I am merely an under-employed former business coaching professional seeking the next stage, and your topic resonated. In truth, I changed my online presence from a "resume" to a one-page marketing brief. Who is The Golden Rule Guy? See via my Linkedin profile. :)

    Thank you, Jennifer, for posting this. I hope many will read and heed in 2012.

    Best to you

    John Fox
    The Golden Rule Guy
    thegoldenruleguy@gmail.com
    801.755.8874

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  2. Thank you for your posting. Although I am not a recruiter, I am a supervisor that hires employees and I have worked in HR and have seen some very qualified people with very poor resumes. It's a fact that there are a lot people competing for few jobs and employers don't have time to put up with long, unprofessional resumes.

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  3. This feedback is always helpful to see for the first time or as a refresher - especially when it comes from people who look at resumes everyday. In a way it allows job seekers to be a "fly on the wall."

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