Trick or treat? Though it is Halloween, give recruiters the treat, please, and leave the tricks out of your job hunt. I doubt that scaring away recruiters is the type of job search goal you had in mind. So, stop it, now! :-)
I had the pleasure of interviewing Wendy Gawlik, who is a recruiter, and the following are just a few of the tricks job seekers are mounting, which are just downright, well, scary!
Below is a list compiled based on the conversation I had with Wendy and some that I have witnessed as a career counselor. Heed the warning!
Don’t:
1. Insert your profile picture on the resume.
2. Don’t state that you are in great shape and good looking on your resume (especially if you are not).
3. Add your family’s picture on the resume (especially young children! Oh no!).
4. Include bogus hobbies on your resume. (Skydiving and so you can parachute into any job? Really!? Not cute!)
5. Give yourself a promotion on your resume (list job titles as they truly are!).
6. Exclude dates on your resume (include months, years, and the right ones).
7. Use your LinkedIn profile as your resume.
8. Send gifts to recruiters to persuade them.
9. Copy another job seeker’s resume content. (An easy search online will reveal your antics.)
10. Use an email that already mimics your target job title if you have not held that job title before!
Understandably, you are trying to do all you can to gain attention over your competition, but you want the right attention. Right? The wrong attention can scare your opportunities away! While some risk is a healthy ingredient in a successful job-search recipe, reaching desperate (and tacky) measures are tricky and will not help emote or spark the reaction you desire. Treat yourself to a winning job search by employing practical and tasteful job search strategies.
What are some of the scariest tactics you have seen job seekers use to gain an edge in their job search? List it below! Would love to read them.
The following are Halloween-themed blog posts/articles by Career Professionals and Resume Writers with excellent tips to help your #holidayjobsearch (Follow us on Twitter for more tips):
What Do You Fear Most About Your Career Change by Amy Adler of http://fivestrengths.com/
Getting Tricked is No Treat in Your Job Search by Bridget Weide Brooks http://www.bearesumewriter.com/
Enjoy!
Similar post by https://careersteering.com/executiveresume/halloween-caution/
Rosa, thanks for this list. It’s so hard for candidates not to think about ways to game the system. The truth is that if a candidate has the right combination of skills, experience, and talent, his or her application will rise to the top of the stack. Smart recruiters and hiring managers know exactly what type of executive will fit the position, so candidates need to trust that they will be selected for interviews and offers if their qualifications match the company’s needs. Thanks for posting! ~Amy