#7 Ways of Not Getting Selected in the First Round of An Interview

When we posted about a vacancy a couple of weeks ago, we received various resumes which made me wonder just what the candidates were 'thinking (or the lack of it),' while sending the email. This made me chart out the top 7 ways of not getting selected in the first round of any interview.

1) Yes, I am not serious.

First impression is the last impression. So show the HR person just how casual you are, by having an informal email ID. Shout out that you shall take the work as casually as your email ID is. Good to have things cleared right at the beginning.

2) Subject Doesn't Matter!

Just in case the HR personnel misses your casual email ID and still considers reading the email, let him know you are not interested by putting in an inappropriate subject. Confuse the HR personnel.

3) Just forward it!

Tell the company all about just how busy you are, because you don't have time to erase 3 letters from the subject: 'Fwd:' It speaks volumes about your arrogance and that you've applied to various other companies as well.

4) Mr. India Fan

A better idea is to show us that you are a Mr. India fan. Let your text be absolutely invisible. Let the HR guess who you are and what position you are applying for. After all, what better things could they have to do? Are you listening, Calendar?

5) Subscribe For an Email Package, Send Bulk Emails

Time is precious, you need to apply to a thousand companies. Why don't you show the company how you're into efficient time management, and buy an email package send a mass mailer with a standard salutation. HR will not have the time to see if the primary email was sent to them or if they were just put on the bcc list. If you badly want the HR to believe that you have applied to various other companies, blindly forward the email you have sent to various other HRs. It may help the HR personnel to apply for a job in a competing agency!

6) Decode 0158974674465

Name your resume as if it's a million dollar code. Keep the HR on their toes by making them figure it out. Show us you're smart enough for the job. Maybe it's that secret job at NASA.

7) Yo! I am up-to-date

A lot of resumes have the golden words, 'UPDATED' written in the file name. After all, the HR should know, if you don't write these words in the file name, it indicates that your resume is not updated. It is most certainly something you should boast that you are sending an updated resume. We hope your next resume is named Kit Kat instead, that update sounds better.

If you fall in any of the 7 categories mentioned above, please rectify yourself immediately.

A few quick 'real' tips which can be useful, before your resume is opened:

• Use a formal email ID, always. Name.Surname@____.com/surname.name@______.com
• Subject should have keywords which can be searched. A lot of times, an HR may want to contact you at a later stage, so it helps.
• Name the resume aptly. Generally, an HR saves the word doc/pdf in his respective desktop. If you name your file as CV/CV Updated etc, he will never be able to search it for future reference. Ideal Name: Name Surname's Resume as on 'Date'
• Do not forward your resume. It takes exactly 1.33 seconds to remove Fw: from the subject. Spare that time to remove those 3 letters from the subject line.
• Quickly introduce yourself in the email body. A 3-4 line brief description about yourself to start with certainly helps.
• 3-4 lines should be written about the company. Yes, personalization helps big time. You ought to do your research on the companies you are applying to. Apply to ONLY one company in one email.
• Do NOT attach a cover letter separately. A cover letter need not be a document, and should be in the email body, as mentioned above.
• Follow up. As soon as you send the resume, text the HR personnel. After two days, if you have no revert, send a reminder email with the last email in trail.