The construction industry is one of the fastest-growing firms in Vancouver. Almost a third of the workforce is employed in the construction sector, which has created a boom in the business.
With that, the competition becomes tighter, and companies are trying to increase their market share by hiring the best talent they can get. But with so many resumes that they receive, it makes the process stressful. So how do you get through?
Here are seven things that could kill your chance to get a job interview:
Entry-level candidates sometimes use resume filler words such as "responsible for," "proficient in," etc., on their resumes. These words highlight the candidate's skills or expertise in the field but can be overkill if overused.
The employer will quickly notice that you don't know how to write a resume, and they can also tell that you're exaggerating. It could lead to the resume getting thrown out right away, and if the company is not familiar with your industry, they may just disregard your application altogether.
Typos are a common occurrence in almost every cover letter and resume that is being sent out. Typos indicate that the candidate does not proofread carefully or pay attention to the small details.
When a resume or cover letter is fresh and new, typos are acceptable. However, this will quickly change once the employer gets your application. They will be very critical of it and may even organize a group or team meeting to discuss your lack of professionalism. It will also create a bad impression of you as an applicant.
Many new applicants use the resume description section to highlight the knowledge and skills that the applicant possesses that would benefit them in their job. This is a great idea because it will help employers understand the aspects of your background that they may not know about.
However, as it turns out, some candidates do not know how to explain and describe their skills precisely and include the information they want to highlight but lack actual content.
Most employers have a standard format and style for their inquiries and applications, followed by specific guidelines and requirements that the applicant should have in their cover letter. Unfortunately, not following these guidelines may get screened out before they even apply to their company.
The cover letter is a chance to set the tone for your application and help the company understand what type of person you are and why they should hire you over other applicants. If there are not enough points to convince the company to invite you for an interview, your application may get discarded right away.
The construction industry is known for its requirement of high performance. So you should make sure that you showcase your 'selling points' as an applicant.
In your cover letter, make sure to emphasize the significant accomplishments and achievements related to leadership or job knowledge. Also, discuss how you became an expert in your respective area, why you think the company would benefit from hiring you and vice versa.
Most job offers involve some sort of training or onboarding process on the job. That's why it is essential to add a section where you mention your references. If you do not, this could either be taken as an indication of your lack of professional experience, or you just do not have anyone to ask for references.
If the company feels that they would benefit from having you in their team, they may even ask you for a list of references.
There's a fine line between being thorough and overdoing it. When you're looking to apply for a job, you want to ensure that the employer knows who you are and what you can do for them.
But when writing your cover letter or resume, do not include too much information about yourself that will be irrelevant to the position or company. It will seem like you are trying to oversell yourself and make it look like something more important that they need to know about you.
Keep in mind that you are doing this for the company's benefit, so it will help make them want to interview you.
These red flags can have a huge impact on your job interviews. So make sure you avoid them as much as possible.
