Common mistakes by fresh graduates are the reasons of why it takes too long for them to get a job. Even the aspiring and the potential ones become hopeless and some even think there is no merit in the industry. To make them overcome their frustration, I have decided to compile all those mistakes together in black and white. So that they themselves and the others can learn and avoid these. Further, these mistakes are not only done by fresh graduates but also some experienced professionals as well. Following are the most common mistakes that can be expected from the majority of the fresh graduates.
Poor formatting of cover letter and resume
The first impression is the last impression. So, if you are having a poor formatting of your resume and cover letter, how is it going to leave a first good impression? It is also possible that your cover letter and resume may not be even read due to its poor formatting.
Typos and Grammatical Mistake in CV
This mostly happens because fresh graduates do not proofread their CV. Higher are the chances that the resume will be ignored. Hence, it is very important to proofread the resume as much as possible. So that the resume can be free of spelling mistakes, wrong tenses, and inaccurate punctuation.
Not applying for the advertised job
This shows the careless attitude of the candidate. Suppose, if the job advertised is for ‘HR Officer’, then you should send your resume only if you belong to HR field. How can an application be entertained if a computer graduate applies for an HR job?
Not following the criteria and instruction
You are wasting your efforts and time if you are applying for a job which needs 4 years of experience and you are still a fresh graduate. Someday you will be an experienced professional but you aren’t now. Hence, apply for the job only if you meet the criteria and requirements. Moreover, it is also important to know the job description. Suppose you are interested in being a Software Developer and you are applying for a Technical Support job. Most probably, you won’t get any response. Even, if you get the response, you will be offered a job which you were not supposed to apply for.
Not attaching resume
Yes, this also happens. Sometimes, while proofreading your cover letter and resume, it is possible that you may forget to attach the resume. It is a big blunder. Hence, take care of it.
Sending your resume multiple times
Don’t you trust your email service provider? It shows the frustration of the candidate of how much eager he is in hearing the response back. You do not need to remind the recruiter by sending your resume multiple times. Proofread and correct it. Afterwards, send a perfect job application once.
Inappropriate pictures on resume
You are not going to be hired on the basis of your looks. But if you are putting your picture on your resume, make sure that it is not a selfie or an unprofessional picture. Make sure you are well dressed, looking professional and have a smile on your face in the picture. Serious faces don’t look good at all.
Unprofessional email ids
You should not be lazy to even create a professional email id. You will be simply ignored if you are sending your job application with an email id like ilovepizza@pizzacrush.com.
No subject on email
A recruiter receives hundreds of emails daily. How come is your email going to convey that it is meant for any job vacancy? This is going to force the recruiter to ignore your email. This is one of email etiquette that needs to be followed by every professional.
No cover letter
You at least need to convince in your email by your cover letter that why you are applying for this job. An empty email is not going to help you at all. Even one line is not enough. You need to impress the recruiter with your cover letter so that he may get interested in looking at your resume.
Resume file format and title
The file format of your resume should be PDF. Most importantly, the title of your resume should be proper. Many fresh graduates just keep the file name as “Resume.pdf” or “Final CV.pdf”. Try to adjust your name in the file name and try to keep the title proper.
Improper dressing in the interview
You are suppose to appear in an interview, not a party. Your dressing matters a lot. You should look like a professional candidate who is serious about the opportunity. Formal dressing in light colours is a best choice. Avoid red ties. Females should avoid wearing party make up. A decent and simple make over is recommended.
Not appearing in the interview
Time is precious. For you and the company as well where you are applying for a job. If you are being invited for an interview, it means that a time is specially scheduled for you. It is a very unprofessional practice of not appearing in an interview without any prior notice. This does not only gives a bad impression of you but also of your educational institute as well. You can either request the employer to reschedule the interview, if you will not be able to make it. And, if you are just not interested, tell the employer that you will not be appearing.
No clear vision
Many fresh graduates do not finalise which career or job are they actually interested in. They should have a clear focus and vision of what they want to do for their career. Moreover, I have witnessed people applying for an Software Quality Assurance job but they have highlighted software development skills in their resume. Many of them are not able to convince the interviewer of their vision.
Sending resume using CC/BCC
Please don’t! Do not be lazy to send a separate email to each employer. Sending your resume to multiple employers in a single email is a bad practice. Moreover, also do not directly forward your email which was previously sent to some other employer.
Identical Resumes
A very silly mistake committed by many fresh graduates. Having identical resumes and cover letters with names and contact numbers change. The recruiters are very smart. It only gives a bad impression of you and the other person involved.
Job Hopping
Job Hopping is bad for your career. It leaves a bad impression on the employers. Some fresh graduates switch job frequently. They realise it very late they are doing wrong. One of the common reasons for switching the job is when the employee is getting better salary offers. We all need money but greed is a curse. Here, I do not mean that you should stick to one job. But the timings of your decision matter a lot. If you are learning, doing well, growing you skills and having a market competitive salary, then you should work for at least an year in that company. If you believe that you are wasting your time, then you should immediately look for another job. The initial stage of your career is very crucial. Further, if you have switched your employer, you should work there for some time unless it is not possible for you to continue.
In a Nut Shell
Above mentioned discussion have small but very effective reasons for the fresh graduates for not getting what they deserve. Common mistakes by fresh graduates are committed probably they are not aware of such concepts. They do not take it seriously while being a student. Hence, a proper guidance to them and their efforts can allow them to prosper in their career. If the fresh graduates may take the above highlighted points seriously, then they wont be disappointed further.
Best of Luck!
