|
Use
of business contact information or cute email addresses
can be the kiss of death
Most
job search candidates are aware of the common mistakes,
such as typos and grammatical errors, which can make
a big difference in getting called for an interview.
However, most candidates are unaware of the subtle
mistakes they are making, including placing personalized
or company email addresses and company or cell phone
numbers, on their resume.
While
some of these practices may seem harmless, there are
valid reasons behind not putting this information
on an employment search document.
“Many
of my clients want to include their work email or
phone numbers on their resume,” says Kathy Sweeney,
president of Senior Executive Resumes, a Phoenix,
Arizona based firm which specializes in resume writing
and employment coaching for clients via the internet.
“I advise against this, because the question a potential
hiring manager may ask is whether a candidate will
search for a job on their company’s time.”
Further,
Sweeney points out that if a candidate does get a
call from a potential employer on a company phone,
the job seeker may be in a meeting with their boss
or client, creating a very precarious situation.
“When
a potential employer wants to contact a candidate,
they are usually ready to either interview them by
telephone in a screening phase or want to set up a
formal meeting. They do not want to be put off by
a job seeker who needs to call them back or cannot
talk at the time,” says Sweeney. “The hiring manager
only has a limited amount of time to speak to a potential
employee and if the individual is unable to talk,
they will go on to the next candidate.”
Job
seekers also need to realize that including a cell
phone number on their resume can cause just as many
problems. First, the candidate will be at a disadvantage,
because they may not have their resume in front of
them to answer potential questions. In addition, they
may be in a social situation, where once again they
may not be able to speak at length to the employer.
Sweeney
says the candidate should control the timing of the
potential screening interview. The best way to ensure
the interview happens on the candidates’ terms is
to have a reliable home telephone number listed on
their documents. If an employer calls, they will leave
a message and the candidate can call them back when
they are prepared and uninterrupted.
Sweeney
also suggests that job seekers not allow their children
to answer the telephone while searching for a new
position. In addition, a professional telephone message
system, with an appropriate outgoing message, is the
key to an employer actually leaving a callback number.
“Many
times individuals will have a cute message left by
their child or a long, loud music selection on their
answering machine. This will guarantee an employer
will not leave a message,” Sweeney says with a chuckle.
The
other common mistake candidates make is to have a
“personalized” email address on their resume. Cute
email addresses should not be used. Rather, a professional
email address, such as the first and last name of
the job seeker at the internet service provider address
is the best guideline.
Most
internet service providers offer several email addresses
per account. If a candidate does not have their own
provider, free accounts are available from Yahoo and
Hotmail. If a candidate has a common name, like John
Smith, they can still utilize their name, but perhaps
use some numbers at the end. Sweeney warns not to
use the year of birth as those numbers, as it could
lead to age discrimination.
“I had a client once who wanted to use “GreatBootyBabe”
as their email address on their resume,” Sweeney recalls.
“I had to gently advise her that while it was fine
to express her individualism to her friends, it was
not professional and would send the wrong message
to the employer.”
Using
a company email address is also another kiss of death.
Many companies have a strong email policy and violating
those rules can get a candidate terminated from their
current position.
By
following these simple rules, Sweeney says that job
seekers will portray a specific image to potential
hiring managers, which in the long run, may communicate
their professionalism.
|
