by Chad Brooks, BusinessNewsDaily Senior Writer | October 16, 2012 09:31am ET
Puzzling job interview questionsdesigned to test interviewees on how they deal with challenges may be more trouble than they're worth, according to researchers.
A study by researchers at San Francisco State University found that the use of "puzzle interview" questions, such as why are manholes round or how many barbershops are in your city, not only leaves applicants with a bad impression of the employer, it also opens the interviewer up to potential legal trouble.
Chris Wright, a San Francisco State University associate professor of psychology, said qualified applicants who don't like the interview style might avoid companies that use puzzle questions and that questions seen as unfair, or not relevant, to a job could be the subject of a hiring lawsuit.
"Then there's still the question hanging out there, which is do these puzzles actually measure anything?" Wright said. "I think there's a feeling that these types of questions measure broad constructs like intelligence, but that there might be a lot better tools out there to measure this."
The study found that puzzle questions are especially popular in the tech and financial industries, where hiring managers see them as a good measurement of creativity, flexibility, critical thinking and the ability to work in novel and uncomfortable situations.
As part of the study, researchers videotaped mock interviews with both traditional and puzzle questions, and asked undergraduate students to watch the interviews and rate both the interview's content and the job seeker's performance. The puzzle interviews got mostly negative reactions, even after the students were told that the job applicant was interviewing for a position as a software engineer or financial analyst.
The experiment revealed that, compared to traditional interview questions about past work performance and goals, people generally see the puzzle questions as unfair.
An intriguing twist of the experiment, however, was that the students felt the applicants performed better in the puzzle interviews than in the traditional one. Wright attributes those results to a belief that the puzzle questions might have seemed so crazy that the students evaluating the interviews were impressed by the poise and relatively decent answers given by the applicant.
Despite their unpopularity, those searching for jobs need be prepared for puzzle questions as long as companies like Google and Microsoft continue to use them.
"What I find, when I see graduating seniors entering the work force, is that they very rarely have knowledge of these types of questions," Wright said.
The associate professor said he gives his graduating students two primary pieces of advice.
"Expect the unexpected and be aware that you might get an off-the-wall question like this," Wright said. "And realize that no one's really looking for a right answer, because so many of these questions are really more geared toward gauging your thought process."
The study, which was co-authored by former San Francisco State graduate student Steven Oshiro, Chris Sablynski of the University of the Pacific and Todd Manson of Indiana University, Southeast, was published online in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology.
by Chad Brooks, BusinessNewsDaily Senior Writer | March 11, 2014 09:04am ET
Your résumé tells potential employers a lot more about you than you think.
The way a résumé is written and the information it includes can reveal a lot about job candidates. Your résumé can answer questions employers cannot legally ask, such as those related to age and religion, as well as details about your work ethic. These details give employers a vivid look into your background.
With so many candidates applying for the same jobs, it is critical to ensure what you're saying on your résumé doesn't keep it from getting a second look. Here are seven things your résumé can reveal that could be costing you an interview:
Age: By law, U.S. employers are not allowed to ask candidates how old they are. However, that doesn't mean they can't decipher it from an applicant's résumé. Even without explicitly listing an age, a candidate's high school or college graduation dates, or length of time in the workforce, serve as good indicators. If a candidate writes on his or her résumé that he or she graduated high school in 2001 and college in 2005, chances are, they're about 30 years old. And even if someone doesn't include graduation dates, a massive employment history can still reveal his or her age. If a résumé has jobs dating back to the 1970s, it's telling the employer the candidate is at least in their 50s. While giving away your age on your résumé might not seem like a big deal, it can be if an employer has an ideal candidate in mind. If they're looking for someone young, they might not give the candidate who they think is in their 50s a chance to interview. Or, if they're looking for someone more experienced, someone who graduated in the early 2000s might not have a chance to persuade them in an interview that they would be the best fit.
Children: Another question employers aren't allowed to ask candidates is whether they have kids. However, there are ways your résumé can answer this question. For example, men or women who include volunteer positions, like serving on their local PTO or PTA or coaching Little League, give a clear signal that they likely have kids and are actively involved in their outside interests. While they might not say it, many employers might not be looking for someone who will be leaving early for a soccer game or meeting at their child's school. So while moms and dads might be eager to bring up what great parents they are, they should remember that giving away such information could be detrimental.
Religious or political affiliation: The volunteer section on a résumé also can give away other details you might not want to share with potential employers. Job candidates who say they volunteer at their local church or synagogue may be quickly and inadvertently giving away their religious affiliation. Political affiliation can be determined in the same way. Candidates who say they volunteer with the Manhattan Republican Party or Americans for Democratic Action are giving away information that employers may want to know but aren't legally allowed to ask. While it would be wonderful to live in a place where people weren't discriminated against for their religious or political beliefs, that's not always the reality. Knowing that someone follows a specific religion or leans a certain way politically can be all a hiring manager needs to not bring that candidate in for an interview, regardless of how great their résumé is.
Not detail-oriented: One quick way to show a potential employer that you aren't worthy of an interview is to have spelling or grammatical mistakes on your résumé. Résumés need to be perfectly written. When they aren't, it sends a clear signal that the candidate might be lazy or doesn't pay attention to details, neither of which are qualities most employers are looking for in a new staff member. While a simple typo might not seem like a big ideal, it is to the person doing the hiring. If a hiring manager only has time to interview four candidates, he or she most likely won't waste time on someone who didn't ensure their résumé was error-free.
No career progression: Job candidates should show potential employers that their career is on an upward trajectory. Having the same or similar job titles throughout a career doesn't give that signal. Hiring managers who see similar titles throughout a candidate's career often quickly infer (either accurately or inaccurately) that the person hasn't been doing what it takes to get promoted with their current employer. While that might not be a big deal for someone who hasn't been in the workforce for a long time, it will send the wrong message for candidates with years of experience. Employers are looking for candidates who show they have the skills to constantly move up.
Not committed: It costs employers thousands of dollars to recruit, interview, hire and train new employees. With so much at stake, hiring managers are looking for candidates who will be devoted to their job. While just about all applicants say they'll be 100 percent committed to their employer, their résumés can suggest otherwise. Candidates who have worked for numerous companies in a short period of time imply they aren't going to be committed to their employer when a new opportunity comes their way. Past studies have shown that having five or more job changes in 10 years can prompt worries that an employee is a job hopper. Such a red flag can be reason enough for employers to not give the candidate a second look.
Can't start right away: Employers looking for someone who can start the new job right away probably won't look highly upon candidates who list an out-of-state address on their résumé. Candidates who live far away might not be able to move to a new city, find somewhere to live and start working within the employer's ideal time frame. While a candidate's experience and references might outweigh those concerns, living out of state might be the deciding factor between two equally qualified candidates.
So, you are shortlisted in the job list. And your next and last hurdle is interview. Everything depends on how you succeed in your interview. Precisely, interview is a slim line between being in or out of the company. It is your life deciding factor and your profession finder. Interview is the only opportunity where you can prove yourself and stand up high or get screwed and will let you down to the lowest level of confidence and will power. It is a main part and the cruel hurdle to get any job
As interviews provides employment opportunity, confidence in candidates, the overview of the office and the atmosphere so that the candidate can either reject or accept the job and it helps job seekers to get contacts as well. Hence once has to always to be successful in interviews. Many people, who pass through entrance exams, fail in interviews and get chucked out, especially when it comes to software professional seekers and IAS aspires. The interviews are very crucial and one has to be ready and full fit to face any sort of questions from the panel. So go through this if you are attending any interview as these are the top 10 tips when you are going for your first interview.
10) Perfect punctuality:
Punctuality is the building block of the success. This is the most anticipated aspect when you are going for an interview. Never be late, if you are late be it for any reasons better return back to your home. The more punctual you are the more discipline you seem to be. If it is possible just go the place (company/org) the day before your interview and make sure that you are sure about the place. And have a check on time, which helps you to plan out on the main day. And be half an hour early. That makes you feel comfortable to the environment. And you will have that crucial free time before getting into the interview. This also reduces your stress. Be one time and practice yourself.
9) Attire:
How you dress up shows what you are. So always be particular and cautious about your attire when it comes to any sort of interview. As soon as you enter the first things the panel notice after your facial expressions is how do you look? That forms an image about you. So, best way is go for formals! At the same time you can be semi ethnic formal. But if it comes to business interviews go for absolute formals. Tie speaks about the dignity on the individual so make sure all the matching and fits right for you. And some big org does have dress code for interviews as well and then never ever fail to follow it if you really want to be there in future. Hence, the attire is very important aspect, you might be the icon of the fashion, trendy outside but once you are between four walls to become a professional, be the icon of dignity, loyalty and decency.
8) Research and preparation:
Read and read about the company/agency/organisation which will be interviewing you. Yes, it really works big time. Once you are in front of the panel members if they start asking questions like why do you deserve a job here? Etc. Now value of the research is felt, as you can proudly talk about the history of the company and their prospects, their requirements etc. So research the maximum about the org and prepare your own questions on what you have researched. Coming to my personal experience which I would like to share where this tip really worked, when I applied for an internship, I got a mail asking to attend an interview( a small friendly kind) after a few minutes I came to know that I an intern of that org. The last compliment told from the head to me was , “I am very impressed by the way you have researched about our agency” (I mailed my research presentation along with the CV) . So in this way it works, give them the feel that you really mean a lot to be part of their company with a passion and you have to be real as well. So, just don’t blindly attend an interview. Try to know more and more about the org so that you do feel inspired about the place and the wish to work there becomes more firm.
7) Smile and enthusiasm:
A simple genuine smile will always win the hearts. So, have a genuine smile and have a friendly approach. Even they try to bully you, continue the smile and try answering them confidently and clearly. Smile is the symbol of confidence and ego free nature. So hold on with your smile and make the atmosphere happy and cool, but do not be over smart or over funny. Enthusiasm, though your smile conveys it. Be quick, sharp and creative at that time. Have that eager enthusiasm and zeal and show them that you are the perfect filler for their vacancy. This is possible through that enthusiasm and josh which is automatically followed by the “Smile”.
6) Emphasize on your assets and strengths:
One has to be humble and be down to earth naturally. But, for a few hours during the time of interview forget this concept, promoter yourself, self appreciate yourself. Not that over boast yourself, but showcase your talents and exhibit your skills. Remember that potential is actually more valuable than experience: if you can show why you’re a promising hire, you’re in. This has to be your agenda, talk about your assets and strengths. Good that you carry your resume and portfolio with you depending on your field.
5) Small things matters a lot:
Your speech is good, smile is good, and attire is fine. In spite, if you don’t give a firm handshake gives the meaning of the lack of confidence. So have a firm hand shake, you might have the tension that it is a first interview, but never show it up, have a confident and smooth body language and have an eye contact when you are answering questions which again shows up your daring nature. And don’t mind bringing a planner or pad of paper and a pen. This way, you can take notes or even write down your questions if you tend to get nervous at times. This helps a lot. Even though all these are small things but these are reasons for big success.
4) Keep calm and face the interview:
They pass through return test, entrance, email interview but when it comes to viva people stress over this interview. Always keep this mind that you are the best bet is that have to continue to be the best, convert and get into the professional version of yourself, and face the interview as an adventure, experience, lesson etc. In this way you are surely likely to learn something new and useful for present and future as well, even if you are not the right one for that job.
3) Pay/salary/wage, talk about it later:
It is a universal truth that we all want to work to earn and lead our life. That is why you apply for jobs and work. Money is the oxygen of the living world. But, my pal don’t ever right away go into the discussion of monetary matters. You will be getting time to think and they would surely mention, sometimes several times of interviews are held if you talk about wages/salaries in the beginning it gives an image that you are just meant for earn and not to learn!
2) Never give up, always follow up:
They tell we will let you know about your job status soon. So, it is your responsibility that you follow up afterwards. Never lose hope, try hard and make them remember who you are along with your resumes and portfolios. After that have a courtesy and gratitude of wishing them thank you irrespective of any result. But try following up if your status is on stay, never give up! Be patient and hope for the best. Keep in mind, just attending successful interview is one part and after that how you follow up and contact them and await is the later part. Follow up in sense don’t bug but keep reminding and you will surely get a response soon.
1) First interview rejected, ask yourself why?
Being your first interview you might not be a winner. This world is huge and about the competition it is needless to say. In spite of working hard, following rules and still not in. Don’t get desperate analyse on the thing which really went wrong. Look back on your interview and think about what you could have done better, prepare a small report. Here is any number of reasons someone might not hire you so never get desperate and lose your hope and confidence, review the first experience and think it as a learning experience for the next interviews. You never know that you might deserve something bigger and better.
Conclusion: Most of the interviews are nerve cracking and it is an individual exclusive experience which teaches so many things in the life.
If you're looking for a temporary job, this could be your year.
Temporary employment has accelerated since the last recession, and new data from CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI) shows that the upward trend will continue throughout 2014. The research found that more than 2.9 million U.S. workers were employed in temporary jobs in 2013, jumping 28 percent since 2010 and outpacing the 5-percent growth rate for all jobs.
Additionally, 42 percent of employers reported that they plan to hire temporary or contract workers in 2014, up from 40 percent last year.
"Coming off of a hard-hitting recession, companies want more flexibility in their workforce, to quickly ramp up and ramp down their businesses as needed," said Eric Gilpin, president of CareerBuilder's staffing and recruiting group. "Temporary workers provide that flexibility."
To help workers identify promising areas for their job searches, CareerBuilder and EMSI compiled a list of the fastest-growing occupations for temporary employment this year. Among jobs that pay in the middle-wage to high-wage range, the ones expected to see the greatest percentage increase for temporary job growth in 2014 are:
Human resources specialists: 64,049 jobs in 2014 — up 4 percent
Customer service representatives: 93,041 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Construction laborers: 75,183 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Administrative assistants: 71,573 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Registered nurses: 58,000 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Bookkeeping, accounting, auditing clerks: 30,257 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Maintenance and repair workers: 30,183 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Inspectors, testers, sorts, samplers, weighers: 28,178 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Heavy truck and tractor trailer truck drivers: 24,527 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Machinists: 23,182 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Sales representatives: 22,984 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
Computer user support specialist: 17,895 jobs in 2014 — up 3 percent
The study shows that many of these temporary positions could lead to full-time employment. Of the employers hiring temporary workers this year, 43 percent plan to transition some of these employees into full-time, permanent staff positions.
"Temporary employment is growing across industries and metros, and providing great opportunities for workers to test drive different work experiences and network with employers," Gilpin said.
The cities expected to hire the most temporary workers this year include Grand Rapids, Mich.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Seattle-Tacoma, Wash.; Orlando, Fla.; Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.; and Memphis, Tenn.
The study's results are based on EMSI's extensive labor market database, which pulls from over 90 national and state employment resources and includes detailed information on employees and self-employed workers.
by Dave Mielach, BusinessNewsDaily Writer | April 17, 2013 10:16am ET Crafting a résumé that is unique and impressive is the goal of every job seeker. However, there is no one blueprint to follow in this process. Despite that lack of guidance, one surefire way to prevent your résumé from making the circular file is to avoid some of these most common résumé pet peeves of hiring managers.
Nondescript objectives
Your objective should never be, "I want to work at X company in Y role." That's a no-brainer, the act of submitting an application indicates interest in the role. What do you want to do with your career? What do you want to bring to a company? If you can't come up with something unique and engaging, leave the objective off of your résumé all together. — Bethany Perkins, head recruiter for Software Advice
Small fonts
For most fonts, size 10 is the absolute smallest, and even then it might be too small, depending on the font you are using. If your reader needs to take out his/her reading glasses to read your résumé, you have already aggravated them and your résumé is heading for the trash can. — Michelle Riklan, founder and managing director at Riklan Resources
Formatting problems
Avoid using dated Microsoft packages for your word doc résumé, as new systems don’t always read the document accurately, with many résumés coming through unreadable at the worst or unaligned at the best. — Chris Delaney, founder of Employment King
Colored résumé paper
In an effort to make their résumé stand out, some job seekers are using colored paper to stand out. This might actually work in a few, very few, instances, but I would almost always advise against it unless you are in a creative industry and you're résumé is amazing. – Paul Chittenden, co-founder of JobKaster
Not following instructions
I just hired an assistant and had to review over 250 résumés and cover letters for this position. My ad asked to not send a generic cover letter and to visit our website and explain why their skills are a good fit for us. Seventy percent of the time they'd shoot off a non-customized résumé, and 90 percent of the time they wouldn't include a cover letter. Because of this lack of following direction it weeded out a huge portion of applicants. – Julie Weinhouse, principal at HERO Entertainment Marketing
Using the wrong tense
I get frustrated when people do not have their past job responsibilities in past tense. You are no longer doing that job; it is imperative to make sure your résumé reflects that. – Rachel Bass, executive recruiter at Windsor Resources
Not listing details
Don't skip the starting and ending dates for each position you've held. Employers are looking to see your employment continuity, tenure and commitment. If that information is missing on one résumé and it's included on another candidate's résumé who has similar skills and experience, I'll move them into the "consider" pile and the incomplete résumé into the "not consider" pile. – Arlene Vernon, president of HRx
A bad résumé name
People should name their résumé by their first and last name. A lot of times candidates will send in résumés named "espence_résumé91.pdf, Résumé2013, or even revision5résumé. I'm glad you have revised your résumé 5 times, but it would be great if version six had just your first and last name. – Pete Juratovic, president of Clikzy Creative
No photos, please
With the widespread use of social media sites like LinkedIn, there is no need to add pictures to résumés. Use the space for more detail. –Mark Frietch, president of Tac Services
It's way too easy for anyone to pretend to be someone else. When hiring, make sure you use identity proofing measures so you don't get scammed.
When hiring, the first concern most companies have is determining how effective an employee will be. In fact, the first concern should be determining if the person is actually who he or she claims to be. Regardless of the nature of your business, an employee masquerading behind a false identity can wreak havoc on your company.
Michael Chertoff, the former chief of the Department of Homeland Security, stated, “I’m going to submit to you that in the 21st Century, the most important asset that we have to protect as individuals and as part of our nation is the control of our identity, who we are, how we identify ourselves, whether other people are permitted to masquerade and pretend to be us, and thereby damage our livelihood, damage our assets, damage our reputation, damage our standing in our community.”
We are functioning in an environment in which humans have yet to be truly verified or authenticated. There are 7 billion people on the planet using thousands of various forms of identification, but with little security. In the United States, the Social Security number is, regrettably, a national ID that is available in file cabinets and databases everywhere, including for sale online. There are thousands of variations on birth certificates (I have five different versions of my own); there are people selling fake IDs, from kids on college campuses all the way up to organized criminals; and credit is wide open, which means anyone who gets hold of anyone’s identification can get credit under that person’s name.
Protecting Yourself
It's important to understand what identity proofing is. As you might have guessed,identity proofing simply refers to proving that individuals are who they say they are. Identity proofing often begins with personal questions, such as asking for the name of a first grade teacher, mother’s maiden name, first phone number, or the make and model of a first vehicle—as though (in theory) only the actual person would be able to provide the correct answers. Of course, this technique is not foolproof, and now that personal information is so readily available on the Internet, knowledge-based authentication is effectively on its way to extinction—and for good reason.
The next step in identity proofing is documentation, such as a birth certificate, a copy of a utility bill, high school yearbook, mortgage statement or, of course, a driver's license or passport. Some of these identifying documents can be scavenged from the trash, but they are effective proof when combined with personal questions. Biometric features, such as fingerprints or iris scans, can help further authenticate an individual’s identity.
Identity scoring, which is in use with many mortgage brokers today, is another effective identity proofing method. An identity-score system can tag and verify the legitimacy of an individual’s public identity using the Internet and both private and government websites. Identity scores are being used to prevent business fraud and to verify and correct public records. Identity scores incorporate a broad set of consumer data, including Internet data, corporate data, personal identifiers, credit records, public and government records, self-assessed behavior patterns and predicted behavior patterns based on empirical data.
Finally, fake IDs contribute to the exasperating problem of imposter fraud. Get the ID Checking Guide to assist you with employee ID verification. Verifying an ID is important, whether for an initial screening or a final ID check. By reducing fraudulent employment applications, time and money can be saved and problem employees who lead to litigation can be averted.
Eventually, detection methods for fake IDs, such as smartcards, biometrics in all its forms, and multi-factor authentication, will help ensure that the identities presented can be trusted—and being an imposter won’t be so easy.
by Dave Mielach, BusinessNewsDaily Writer | July 12, 2013 07:08am ET
Crafting the perfect résumé is a hard-enough challenge before trying to factor in all the myths there are about the process. However, some of those common myths — including your résumé can't be more than one page or it's OK to have some white lies on your résumé — hold very little water among companies looking to hire employees. To separate fact from fiction, several experts gave the truth behind some of their favorite myths on what companies look for in a résumé.
Myth: Grade point average is a top consideration
Truth: I don't even consider it when I am interviewing potential employees. I know that a 4.0 can mean that you took relatively easy classes to pad your GPA. I also am aware that you can be excellent in your major and have non-related topics destroy your GPA. For me, that was Spanish and statistics, neither of which is necessary or relevant in my chosen line of work. What I am more interested in is examples of your work as a showcase of your ability. – Shelli Dallacqua, president, Shelten Media
Myth: Résumés should be one page.
Truth: Résumés are allowed to be two pages unless you are stretching the information. One page just isn't enough, unless you are right out of school. — Jill MacFadyen, career and outplacement coach
Myth: Achievements should be highlighted in a separate section.
Truth: By separating accomplishments from the experience, recruiters are more likely to overlook this section. Instead, showcase them by bulleting them in the relevant sections. — David Hardtke, chief data scientist, Bright.com
Myth: Résumés should have your entire work history.
Truth: If you have been working for 30 years and the first few years were in an outside field, you can certainly drop selective things. Same thing is true about internships after you have 10 to 15 years of experience, unless those internships or prior employers and your work are awesome examples of what you are capable of or the employer's name itself may garner some interest. – Tiffani Murray, résumé writer and career coach, Personality on a Page
Myth: Your résumé should be general to increase your chances of getting a job.
Truth: Highly customized and targeted résumés are the only ones that are successful in securing interviews that can lead to job offers. Instead of marketing a general résumé, job seekers should take the time to do extensive research to understand the required skills, expertise, experience and qualifications for their job target. This information can used as a guideline for tailoring résumés and other marketing materials. – Abby Locke, executive career architect atPremier Writing Solutions
Myth: Paper résumés are enough.
Truth: LinkedIn is changing hiring. In another few years, employers will not be able to hire without it and the LinkedIn profile is replacing the need for a résumé. – Tom Armour, co-founder High Return Selection
Truth: Because most recruiters are now visiting your publicly accessible social media pages anyway, it is a good practice to include them in your contact information on your résumé. Specifically, you should include a link to your LinkedIn profile. Just make sure to keep your social media pages consistent and professional. Information on your LinkedIn profile should match your résumé — be sure to check that dates of employment and other key facts are consistent. — Eric Semon, director of customer success Hiring Thing
Myth: White lies are OK
Truth: Honesty is the best and only policy. A résumé is a factual history of your work experience. Do not embellish or overstate your accomplishments or responsibilities. Employers value integrity and you demonstrate that by being honest and forthright in all your interactions, starting with your résumé. Many companies will use outside firms to perform verifications with prior employers and schools. – Lynne Sarikas, director of Northeastern University's MBA Career Center
Myth: A PDF is better than a Microsoft Word document
Truth: Résumés should not be posted in PDF format. PDFs can sometimes prevent keyword- scanning software on job boards or applicant-tracking systems from picking up critical information that allows you to be found or captured — in essence making you invisible. — Megan Pittsley-Fox, career coach, résumé writer and recruiter at Work Life Careers
Myth: A good résumé will get you a job.
Truth: A good résumé will get you an interview. Once you are in front of the hiring manager, you will need to sell yourself even better than the résumé sold you to gain the phone call. The résumé is only one step in the very involved job search process. – Melanie Denny, professional résumé writer and president Résumé Evolution
Myth: Don't sweat the small stuff on your résumé — a few grammatical errors or typos are expected.
Truth: Sweat the small stuff because it shows that you pay attention to detail, and are serious and professional. Otherwise, you come across as careless and most employers don't want to hire careless people. — Tracy McCarthy, chief human resource officer atSilkRoad
by Jeanette Mulvey, BusinessNewsDaily Managing Editor | March 31, 2012 03:31am ET
Foolish Mistakes
Creating a résumé may seem relatively simple, but you might be surprised by some of the things hiring managers say are big no-no's on résumés. They say they see these mistakes all the time.
Here are their tips on how to avoid making a fool of yourself the next time you send out a résumé.
1. Too many details
Details you can leave out, according to Nancy Shuman, chief marketing officer at Lloyd Staffing, include multiple phone numbers (one is good, preferably a cell with a professional sounding greeting), reference names and contacts, salary by position, and addresses of companies or schools. Shuman said employers can always ask for this data later.
2. Distracting facts
"Know the line between good information and too much information," said Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of FlexJobs, a job service site for finding flexible employment. "I once had a candidate apply for a job, and listed on his résumé under 'Awards & Honors' was 'Pig Wrestling Champion – multiple wins in the large pig division.' This information, while it did most definitely differentiate the candidate, wasn’t in the least related to the job at hand, and was more of a distraction than a positive addition to his application."
3. A photo
"Many people make the mistake of adding a photo of themselves to their résumé, thinking that their good looks will help get them an interview," said Brooke Bakalar Sloane of marketing agency GolinHarris. "However, a company legally cannot consider your picture in determining whether or not you are qualified for a position, and thus many companies immediately discard résumés with photos."
4. Foolish fonts
"Using Comic Sans, Papyrus or any other cheesy font screams 'I don't know what I'm doing,'" said Garry Polmateer, principal, information strategy company, Red Argyle.
5. Cute email addresses
Inappropriate or "cutesy" email addresses, are a no-no, say Kyra Mancine and Stacey Bershod of catalog company QCI Direct. "Get an email address that is professional to put on the top of your résumé," they write. "Seeing 'loverboy22@hotmail.com' or whatever is not going to win you any points in the job search."
6. Odd hobbies
"Don't put strange hobbies or interests on your résumé," said Kevin Spence, president of Career Thoughts, a career guidance website. "There are better ways to show off your individuality. I once had an applicant who mentioned on his résumé that he was a marionette and knife collector. Those may both be legitimate hobbies, but my 'serial-killer alarm' went off. He may have been qualified for the position, but he didn't get a call back."
7. Elementary school
"I don't think you should put your elementary school on your résumé," said Elaine Simon, assistant manager at EFA Diamonds. "Of course, I am interested in any college degrees a candidate may have, as well as any vocational training."
8. Too much blank space
"I'm not saying to make it so wordy and crowded that it looks like a newspaper, but having a résumé that is only half a page tells me that you don't have enough job and/or life experiences," said Brenna Smith, founder and CEO of SheNOW. "Even if you've never had a job, you should at least have volunteer work, extracurricular activities, leadership positions, etc. Don't submit a résumé showing only your objective and education."
9. A second page
"One should not have a second page unless it's simply listing references or is something that provides an example of what the résumé itself references," said Sean Smith, president of advertising agency Third Street. "If you can't get your résumé down to one page, it sends a message that you lack the ability to communicate in a succinct manner – which is becoming increasingly crucial in our bullet-point, social media world."
10. Careless inaccuracies
"Take great care to get work dates, titles and responsibilities consistent and correct," advises Patrick Lynch, president of career consulting firm The Frontier Group. "I have seen clients who have had inconsistencies between their résumé and LinkedIn cause them issues when interviewing. I have also seen the worst-case scenario where a job offer was rescinded because one of the candidate's job titles was not corroborated by their past employer."
