What Not To Do When You Apply for Jobs

When you're applying for a job via email, it's really important to write your email message just as you would a traditional cover letter or business letter. Here's an example, of a real (really) email that I received from a job seeker:

i would like to put an ap in are u able to fax me a ap i didnt do up a resume yet i am working on it u think we could work somthing out thank you!

It took me a while to figure out what the person was trying to say, but, the one thing that struck me, besides the lack of punctuation and the typos, was the use of acronyms. Don't use them when job searching, regardless of how you apply for a job. When you apply in person make sure that your applications are completely filled out, with no mistakes. Take the same care when applying online or posting your resume.

It's important to make sure all your employment related communications are polished and professional, and to be sure to follow the job search rules when you are looking for a job. If you don't, your going to knock yourself out of contention before you even get to the first step in the hiring process.

More: How Not to Find a Job