Isn’t it just frustrating how you sent out hundreds of resumes and cover letters, but none of them ever gets you a favorable reply? If you’re going through this, then there’s just one explanation for it: something is wrong with either your cover letter or your resume. I know it’s tough, especially if you feel like you’ve given it your all. To help you out, here are some reasons why your resume or cover letter is stopping you from getting your dream job:

One of them is (or both of them are) too lengthy In today’s competitive environment, no recruiter has the luxury of going through resumes and cover letters and resumes that are too long. Take out all the fluff words out of your resume and cover letter and just compress your sentences into short yet meaningful statements.

One of them is (or both of them are) not relevant Highlighting your skills and experiences is one of the keys to getting noticed. However, if you failed to directly relate those accomplishments to the job requirements then it’s no use. You’d just waste your time and that of the recruiter or hiring manager. Reviewing that ad and incorporating some of the words in your resume and cover letter can help, but must be truthful.

One of them has (or both of them have) too many errors If the first line on your cover letter or resume already has an error then that becomes a major turn off. It can be the deal breaker that sends your application straight to the trash. Watch your grammar, syntax and formats. Read your resume and cover letter over and over again to make sure that they’re free of errors. Don’t solely rely on spell check provided by word programs, they can miss out a lot of mistakes (or in some cases, pass over words that are spelled correctly, but used incorrectly in the sentence).

One of them doesn’t (or both of them don’t) sound professional Using a friendly tone can be very risky because you just don’t know what type of reader may be assessing your resume and cover letter. Be on the safe side. Use a professional and formal tone. Do away with certain remarks or jokes that may not be appreciated by many. Don’t sound too pitiful either. Remember, you’re applying for a job, you’re not asking help from a charitable institution.

It lacks focus Whenever you’re applying for a job, customize your resume and cover letter for that particular company you’re trying to get into. Do some research and whenever possible include skills and training that make you more valuable over others who are also qualified for the position (again, make sure the info you include is truthful).

Using these items, recreate your resume. But if you still feel that you have done everything right but still don’t get at least an interview for your dream job then try to get help from professional cover letter and resume writers. It would help to get feedback from them as to why your application was ignored. Just keep working on them and soon you will get the job you want!

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This entry was posted on Monday, July 26th, 2010 at 1:44 pm and is filed under Applying for a Job, Cover Letters, Job Search Tips, Resume, Resume Do's and Don'ts, Resume Help, how to write a resume. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.