HR people often only take a quick look at your application to decide if you’re a candidate of interest. These are the mistakes you should avoid.
You have already sent out a really large number of applications and have not yet been invited to an interview? Then you should consider what this might be due to. This overview will give you an idea of the mistakes you should avoid at all costs in your application.
Writing mistakes in the application
Recruiters receive many applications every day and have a trained eye – also for English Application mistakes. A really big one: spelling and grammar errors are found in many job applications. Always read your application again very carefully or have a friend proofread it. Spelling mistakes are an absolute no-go in applications.
Cover letter that is much too long
In the cover letter, the recruiter wants to know in the most important points why you are suitable for the job. If you describe in detail and at excessive length what you have achieved at each stage of your career, you will bore the recruiter very quickly. So be as brief as possible and concentrate on the essentials: Why you are the ideal candidate for the job.
Irrelevant information
Just as uninteresting as a letter of application that is far too long, are irrelevant information in the application file. For example, the personnel manager will not be interested in the fact that you were class president at school if you are already 40 years old. Information that you cannot relate to the advertised job is also irrelevant.
Platitudes
Avoid empty phrasesAvoid phrases such as "I am very interested in this position" – The personnel manager will be able to guess that, since you have applied for it. But why do you find the position so interesting?
Also expressions such as "I hereby apply for" or "I have read your job advertisement carefully" should be avoided. Instead, write why you really want the job. Pay more attention to making sure the will really comes across rather than throwing standard phrases around.
Spell the contact person wrong
If the personnel manager immediately in the salutation misspelling his name your application will probably go straight into the trash. Always make sure that you spell the company name and the name of the contact person correctly. For example, you do not want to be spelled Maier instead of Meier.
Chaotic formulations
Phrase as simply as possible: This is the golden rule in the application. The personnel manager will at best skim over long, nested sentences. If the entire application consists of this, he will not even bother to read it all. Write professionally, but in a way that is easy to understand.
Unprofessional application photo
A vacation photo as Application picture? Or one that shows you happily at a dinner party? Such things do not belong in the application! It is astonishing to still find such photos in CVs. Even in creative fields, a photo is about recognizing the applicant and forming a first impression. If you are unsure about the photo, leave it out rather than include a leisure photo. In many countries it is already standard to send no photo at all with applications.
You want to learn more about how to apply properly? Click here for our big application guide.