The following are the five biggest reasons as to why a resume is usually rejected. Read through this list and make sure that your resume does not fall into any of these categories!

1. All the Features, But No Benefits To Be Seen!

It is vital that you clearly highlight the benefits you can bring to the job and to the company: in other words, market yourself. If you don't do this, no-one else will do it for you. Remember that the resume is your first chance to do this and it can be your last!
It is an unfortunate fact that if you are not able to indicate any benefits or those that you do offer are obscured somewhere in the text and therefore difficult to find, you don't stand a chance.

Read the Job Description Carefully!

Match your particular skills and experience with those required for the position. Clearly state how each of the requirements for the position can be met with your skills and experience. In this way, you are indicating how your specific features can be used as benefits by the company.

Always remember that an effective resume can be an extremely powerful marketing tool.

Just what are "features"?
- Personal attributes such as excellent interpersonal skills is a feature which allows for the benefit to the company of clear and patient communication with customers
- A driving license is a feature that allows you to provide the benefit of being able to travel to clients

To ensure that these are clearly accessible by the reader, make sure that these are in your Statement Summary at the top of the first page of your resume, taking care to begin with your most significant benefit.

2. Providing Personal Opinions

This is a big turn off, because it may suggest the possibility that you are unprofessional in your conduct and that you may continue this behaviour under their employ! It is also the case that it is merely an opinion and it may give the impression that you are a negative person. Do not include negative statements.

The interview is the time to provide explanations - not the resume.

3. Including Out Of Date Or Incomplete Contact Details

It is incredible the number of people who continue to include out of date details, including an old phone number, the wrong email address or an old postal address. This is simply a lack of proofreading.

Another mistake is to include an email address or phone number that is rarely checked or used. It is vital that you provide the contact details that are the most current and those which you access regularly. It is simply the difference between and offer or a rejection.

4. Incorrect Spelling or Errors in Grammar and Punctuation.

It can be really annoying for the resume reader to find "typos" in an otherwise good resume. It also creates the wrong impression - that you are careless (which is the case if you are not prepared to check and recheck for errors).

If necessary, get a friend to proof read it for you. Read along with them - it is amazing how many mistakes you will be able to find this way.

Don't fall into the habit of relying on spellchecker, either - it isn't foolproof and you are likely to miss common mistakes such as "great" and "grate"; "six" and "sex"; "rapid" and "rabid" !

5. Filling The Void With "Fluff", Verbose Comments and Useless Jargon

With the number of resumes that have to be read, the recruiter simply does not have the time to trawl through useless information. You therefore need to get to the point quickly!

At this stage, you don't need to reveal all your wonderful traits. "Padding out" a resume is a fatal error that many people make. It will only result in rejection. You must get to the point.

Remember also that the use of specific jargon may be aiming above the head of the reader, who is not necessarily the hiring manager. Use the journalists' creed here - aim the resume at someone who doe not necessarily understand the specific industry without being patronizing.

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