10 Ways to Miss Out on a Job Opportunity When you’re searching for a new job, everyone always wants to give you helpful tips and hints in hopes they’ll help you get hired. “Be sure to have a copy of your resume with you,” they say. “Make eye contact and know your strengths and weaknesses.
And, of course, those are great pieces of advice.
But today, we’re going over some of the things that will most certainly keep you from getting hired.
You can wear the most professional outfit and have a firm handshake, but if you commit any of these faux pas, you’re never going to get the job.
1) Your resume or cover letter has spelling errors: Sure, you might be in a hurry to send in your application and therefore whip together a customized resume and cover letter in hopes of catching your interviewer’s attention before the flood of other applicants arrive. But what you didn’t realize in your hurriedness is that you misspelled the company name or left out a few periods in your sentences.
Pro tip: Slow down. Proofread your written materials several times and get a second pair of eyes to review it before sending it over.
2) You aren’t really qualified for the role: If you’re desperately seeking a job, it’s likely that you’re applying for anything and everything that is remotely close to your skill set. But when you’re a marketing professional applying for an accounting position, there might be too much of a gap in your skill set.
Pro tip: Don’t waste time preparing and sending in applications for jobs that you’re under or over qualified for.
3) You ask questions about details too early in the interview: