Time and again, we come across mistakes and special peculiarities in application documents, but these can certainly be avoided. To do this, of course, applicants need to know what to look out for before sending the application documents and what recruiters would rather not find.
In general, complete application documents consist of a cover letter or letter of motivation, your CV and your references and diplomas, unless explicitly requested otherwise.
Errors and avoidable extra work for the recipient can quickly creep into the individual documents or their processing.
Here we show you 9 sins of the first phase of an application process and tips on how you can score here.
- Error in contact details
Make sure that the address is correct. Even if you send several applications at the same time, always make sure that you address the correct company; after all, the recruiter wants to feel addressed. Most of the time, these are careless mistakes that can happen to anyone. However, such mistakes cast a bad light on the applicant, since it can be concluded in advance that he or she is imprecise or unfocused in his or her work.
Just as avoidable are errors in one's own contact information. An error in the telephone number or in the e-mail address is fatal, since contacting the person is made extremely difficult.
- Impersonal salutation
Always try to find out who is responsible for recruiting for the vacancy you are applying for. Usually there is a contact person in the advertisement. If you do not find what you are looking for, try to find out who is in charge of the HR department at this company via the website or a web search. It is even easier if you call the company briefly and ask for the person in charge. This will guarantee that you will be able to name the right contact person.
- Unnecessary reading ballast
Avoid irrelevant information in the cover letter. This should only justify the motivation of the application, show why you find the company exciting. In addition, it should reveal what strengths you bring to the company. Here you should not describe your entire career, because that is what the resume is for. Of course, you can briefly paraphrase your current or last job if you think it will be an advantage. However, you should always keep in mind that a recruiter may have to go through hundreds of applications and therefore short and concise cover letters may be better received. However, the cover letter should not be longer than three quarters of a page. The resume itself should also contain only relevant information about you and your career. Your parents' professions, for example, have little to do here today. You can also reduce the number of certificates: If you have a master's degree, for example, a recruiter does not necessarily need to see your high school diploma. In the case of job references, however, you should send all of them if possible, since they count as evidence of the stages of your career and draw a kind of description of your personality and behavior at work. Diplomas (e.g.: further education or language certificates) also support the claims you make in your CV.
- Score with individuality
Of course, it takes longer to write a cover letter from scratch and personalized. However, this is usually better received than a paragraph filled with empty phrases, since a recruiter will find these phrases in many applications. Examples of this are "I hereby apply for the position of", "I have read your advertisement with great interest...". The first sentence in particular should be written individually and, if possible, serve as a hook for an interesting reading of your cover letter. Try to make a reference to the contact person or the company already here, or write something that motivates the person to read on.
The individuality in the cover letter also applies to your CV, of course. Templates can be used, but you should still personalize them somewhat. The better you manage to stand out from the crowd, the better your chances of being noticed or being remembered. Nevertheless, everything should of course remain within a professional framework.
- Unsuitable application photo
Even in Switzerland, the application photo is not a mandatory part of the application, although most companies like to see it. If you decide to send in a portrait, make sure it is professional. A good photographer will help you look personable and friendly in the photo and will look for the perfect angle. You can also use a tripod or have acquaintances snap a picture of you. In general, it is important here, as in the later interview, to pay attention to appropriate clothing, because the first visual impression counts. A snapshot in front of a white wall or the last vacation photo are certainly not the best choice.
- Document chaos
Today, everyone should have certain skills on the PC. If you are asked for your certificates, but you can only upload one file via the system, please do not send all the individual documents by mail to the contact person. They will immediately doubt your skills if you don't even know how to merge documents. When merging, pay attention to the chronological order and start on the first / top page with the latest job reference. After all certificates come your diplomas, again in chronological order, and then certificates for training, language skills and so on. Arrange your documents as the company requires. If you are to send cover letter, resume and certificates as one file, do so, if you are to upload three individual documents, please do so. Online there are many easy tools to merge and edit the documents, such as www.online2pdf.com.
- Read the job ad?
Rewriting motivation letters for each application can be tedious, which is why many applicants use standardized letters. To some extent, this is perfectly legitimate, since your strengths and motivation do not change much. However, you should make reference to the job posting each time: Show how you can use your skills and knowledge in the task area. If you are not yet able to fulfill individual points, show your willingness to learn here and justify why you are confident in doing so. The recruiter wants to read out that you have really dealt with the job posting and wants to feel your motivation for this position.
- Untrue statements and missing supporting documents
Remember to provide evidence for your statements and stick to the truth. It does not leave a good impression if, for example, you overestimate your foreign language skills and are unable to provide them in the first interview. Past employment should always be documented with references, and teaching and university degrees should also be verifiable. You should even remain honest about your hobbies, as you will be asked questions about them during the interview. The point is not to make an impression, but to deliver an honest and credible self-presentation.
- Spelling and grammatical errors
Common writing programs can display spelling and sometimes grammatical errors, making typos avoidable. If you are applying in another language that you have not (yet) fully mastered in writing, use an online tool or ask a native speaker for their assistance.
As a general rule, read through your documents several times and, if possible, also give them to familiar people for proofreading. Typos are often less obvious to the author than to an unfamiliar reader.
We wish you good luck with your next application.
