Most people are aware that silly CV or application mistakes can cost them an interview for a job. However apart from the CV and the application form, candidates make common mistakes that can seriously cost you an interview for a job…

I call them the ‘Dumb and Dumber’ mistakes, as, as much as they are not intentional mistakes, they really are the dumbest ways to be shortlisted out of a job, before you can even be shortlisted in! With this in mind, please see below the top 5 mistakes that can cost you an interview for a job…

1. Email Addresses…

I have known some silly email addresses in my time, and the main reason is that people forget that they really should have a ‘professional’ email address to use, as well as a ‘personal’ email address for their friends. As a recruiter, if you see an email address titled smokingweeddave@ or iamtoohot83@, imagine the impact it can have on your application, As well as this, imagine the embarrassment when you have to confirm the persons email address to them to send out some information, both for you and the recruiter.

2. Voice Message…

As a recruiter you find the perfect CV, call the candidate up and there is no answer on the line. You go through to voice mail to leave a message. All okay so far, until the actual voice message starts.

First the hip hop song, complete with expletives, then the personal message from the candidate, on top of the song, with a dumb ‘leave a message’ statement! And then you wonder why the recruiter thought you were not mature enough to be considered for the Graduate role, you had applied for. If you want to be a professional, you have to act professional, to stand a chance. Don’t get me wrong, my personal attire is completely different to my professional one, just don’t mix the two together…

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