As you know, we’re currently hiring for the position of entry-level HTML programmer. I was having a great time reviewing resumés this morning, printing up the most promising ones for review over the holiday weekend. It feels great that soon flyte will be employing another person, and that I’ll be responsible for bringing another job to Maine. (And paying taxes, parking, health benefits, retirement, worker’s comp, etc. for this person!)
A shout out to JobsinMe.com which is a great place to post your jobs. (At least in Maine and the surrounding areas.) For $150 I get unlimited job postings for 3 months! It’s an insanely good deal.
However, today I want to talk about how NOT to write a resumé/cover letter. This is not to slam anyone in particular…these issues come up every time we post a wanted ad.
Some tips on how to not get considered for a job:
- Say "please except my application" when you mean "please accept my application." Just because Word’s spell check says it’s spelled correctly doesn’t mean you used the right word.
- Send a cover letter that’s addressed to [Name] at [Company] and sent on [Date]. Especially when you’re touting your computer expertise.
- Ignore your spell check.
- Tell me your pay requirement is $15,000 more than my stated pay range.
And now some tips on how to get noticed:
- Customize your cover letter and resumé to promote the strengths that you bring to the job you’re applying for. I know it takes extra time, but if I get the feeling 20 other
companies received the exact same cover letter and resumé, I’m not exactly feeling the love. - If the job requires customer service experience, draw the interviewer’s attention to your experience in the field. If you’ve just completed a class in Dreamweaver and that’s a requirement, make that bold…and maybe red!
- Visit the company’s Web site and see what kind of work they do. Spending a little time researching the company you’re applying to can make a HUGE difference.
Again, I’m not dissing anyone in particular. As an employer, this is what I’m looking for, and hopefully this information is helpful.
Have a great Turkey Day!
Rich Brooks
Man Without a Resumé Himself
Thanks for tips Rich. There's some usefull information there that will help in my job search. I applied for this position last week but I didn't see your blog before I submitted it. I'm very interested in working for your company and I hope to hear from you.
*laughs*