Job application mistakes - 6 things you should never do

If you are searching for a student job you may not have written and submitted many applications before.

Of course, there are many young people who have had jobs in supermarkets or similar before, but typically you complete a form instead of writing a full, motivated application.  It can be difficult to know what pitfalls to absolutely avoid when finally writing a job application.

Here you will find some typical mistakes that are made and you should steer clear of.

1. Use junk mail

Your contact information in your application or the email you send the application from should preferably be professional.  Leave email addresses with names such as smokeyjoe@hotmail.com or babydoll94@yahoo.com to be used for non serious purposes and create a neutral email address instead.

The number combination 69, 666, or 777 can create negative connotations in the mind of the recruiter, this is not the best way to present yourself.

Over the years many applicants have asked us: What do I do? I put the wrong email on my CV.

What you shall do: 

1. Contact the employer immediately
2. Do not make this mistake twice

2. Wrong phone number on your job application

It’s very common to have more than one telephone number, you may also have a phone provided by your employer for example. Do not use a work phone number in any new application. 

Somebody in the office might pick up your phone, you may not always be able to speak freely with the recruiter on your work phone, always use your private phone number.

3. Forget to attach the files / application

It is reasonable to write "Here is my application for the job…" and then send an empty email without including the attachment. This applies to any job - but it’s particularly unfortunate if, for example, you apply to an IT company and brag about your IT skills in the application…

4. Certify your application to the wrong company

Another embarrassing mistake is if you send your application to the wrong company.  While companies may not expect to be exclusive in your search for a job, you should like present yourself as someone who interested in just that one company. Also, remember to name your attachments either in a neutral way or targeted specifically to the company.

5. Use a lot of clichés

This mistake may be hard to avoid, but it's still worth thinking about. Try not to use too many clichés in your application. For example, if you are applying for a service job, any applicant will write that they are "service-minded, always smiling, responsible, etc."

Avoid creating a long list of words that sound good in a job application. Employers have certainly read them before - perhaps as late as the application just before yours.

Instead you could try for example, when writing that you are service-minded, to explain why or how, give examples. Think about previous jobs and the experience you garnered.

6. Don’t forget proofreading

The last important thing on the list is to proofread your application.   A mistake will send a bad impression, unless you write in your application that you are dyslexic if that applies.

Now that you have given thought to and spent time creating the perfect application, it would be disappointing if you didn’t make the first sift because you didn’t take the time to proofread what you’ve written.  Be very mindful to use correct dates.

Of course, your application will probably not be discarded because you forget a single comma, but if your application is full of errors, it sends a bad signal and it can cause the employer to automatically put it in the no pile.

Good luck with the job hunt!

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