The meticulous application process: all of us with a job have been through it and we all remember what that was like. Well, regardless of whether we like it or not, it's something we have to do and will do if we want to get the job we want or need. As common and simple as an application may be, it is still one that is very easy to mess up and be half-way done. The same can be said about résumés that are put on applications. So, here are some helpful (and much needed) tips to help with an application and résumé as well as a reminder that both should be done properly and completely.
1. Know the job that you are applying for.
I'm not sure which could be worse: forgetting your birthday or forgetting the job for which you are applying. If the first thing someone who is reviewing your application sees in the "job applying for" category is the wrong job, do you know what happens next? The click of the delete button. There is no point in saving an application that is not going to suit the position which needs to be filled. It will be as much as a waste of time to review an unedited application as it was for you to even fill it out in the first place. So, whether you accidently misplaced your application or seriously didn't know the job's name in the first place, nonetheless it will not help you at all to get any job.
2. Put reliable references for needed contact information.
Having any reference is indeed a boost on your chance of getting to the next step. It shows that you have a decent enough relationship with multiple people, to the point that they are willing to speak on your behalf regarding your work ethic, past duties, or even your character. Honestly you never fully know why you need references and when you will need them. The "when" aspect is most important because you need to have somebody who you know efficiently uses his or her phone whenever business needs to be taken care of. Even if you want to put your BFF, former boss, co-worker, hunting buddy, or even your grandmother, be mindful that it needs to be someone who can speak about you in a professional manner. Your references need to be 100 percent in their honesty, are clear cut and to the point in all that they say and do.
3. Proper grammar, please?
Being educated and full of knowledge does no use by just sitting in your head. Apply proper English skills, despite if you like to "English" or not, and please proofread. It is so beneficial to you, the applicant, and the one who is going to review your essay. Yes, we see the memes and pictures all the time distinguishing "there, their, and they're" and other homophones, but also what about the punctuation errors and incorrect uses of pronouns! I am not saying that you have to be an English junkie to get the gist of what sounds right and what looks right grammatically. If you don't take pride in what you say and how you say things, you're in trouble. You should always take pride and be confident and part of that is being the educated person you are.
4. Do not sell yourself short on your résumé.
Too much, of the right information, is never really too much. All that you have worked hard for and that took at least some effort to get needs to be put on your résumé. Depending on what you are applying for, the more, the merrier. Don't go as far back as the 6th grade awards ceremony, but start at the time where you were beginning to find your way and you had goals met. What a résumé is suppose to show is your previous accomplishments that make you stand out. When you become a part of clubs, organizations, church groups, a specific sector at a job and countless of other things, whether you realize it or not, you are building your resume. When a person says "Put everything on your résumé," they truly mean it and they tell you that to help you in getting the job you want. So, don't sell yourself short because the only person's chance it hurts is yours.
5. Be mindful of the expectations you present yourself as.
Whatever you say on your résumé and application is the first perception to the employer you make of yourself. So, do not say anything that isn't true or real about yourself because remember, if you did all the right things, you could have a chance to come in for an interview. If you put incorrect information on that application and you go in for that interview and can't even articulate all you said you did at your last job, you are digging a hole for yourself. Do not be that person who lies on their application saying you did one thing, but when you are asked and put to the test regarding your false past experiences, it instead paints a different picture.
These tips may seem like common sense, but when it comes to applications and résumés, they are often forgotten. Usually it is the small mistakes that cost people an opportunity at any new job. These tips will be helpful at any time for everyone.
