If you have been looking for work for a while without results, you may be inadvertently scaring off employers. Take a step back to figure out where in the process your search is going off the rails. Are you not getting interviews? It could be your resume or cover letter. Getting interviews but no offers? You may want to review how you present yourself in person.

Consider these resume, cover letter, and interview red flags that can scare off employers.

Careless Resume Errors

You may think small typos are no big deal, but your resume is the only thing employers have to go on. Careless errors are the written equivalent of a damp handshake at an interview. It tells the employer you have no attention to detail or worse; you don't really care about the job. The problem is that you've probably looked at it so many times, you see what you think is there, not what's actually on the paper. That's what makes it so difficult to proofread your own writing. Run your final draft through a program like Grammarly or ask a friend to review it for you.

Failing to Customize Your Resume

It's been decades since job seekers were typing up resumes and going to a print shop to have 100 copies run off to mail to employers. Computers have made it very simple to create a custom resume for each opportunity. That doesn't mean you must start from scratch -- after all, your work history doesn't change, but you can change terminology or refocus content. For example, if the job is for a sales account manager, but your last job was sales executive and reading the description indicates it's the same job, you use their terminology. If the job specifies "must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel," and you are but don't have it on your resume because you assume everyone is, add it in.

Underestimating the Power of the Cover Letter

People tend to dread cover letters, some skipping them entirely (seldom a good idea). This is your opportunity to market yourself to the employer. Use it to connect the dots from the job description to your resume and show your suitability for the role, particularly if it's not immediately obvious. For example, "Your job post asks for someone with strong public speaking skills, which I was glad to see. I have spoken at several conferences for job X, am a member of Toastmasters and serve as spokesperson for Charity Y, which I support." Your cover letter is also the perfect opportunity to address any potential red flags in your resume, such as job-hopping, employment gaps or apparent job title regression. For example, "I'm particularly excited about this opportunity because I took a step back in salary and job title to apply my skills and experience to a new industry. Because your company has a reputation as a leader in this industry, this position seems like the next logical step in my career."

Common Interview Red Flags

If you've gotten as far as an interview, the employer has every reason to believe you are well qualified for the position. The primary role of the interview is to confirm that belief, determine if you are a good fit for the company culture and compare you to other top candidates. It's important to be likable, enthusiastic, and professional.

Here are a few ways the interview can go off the rails and spook the employer:

• Complaining about previous employers
• Showing up late for the interview
• Bringing a generally negative attitude
• Not supplying appropriate examples from your work history
• Dressing inappropriately
• Not taking responsibility for mistakes
• Citing weaknesses such as "I work too hard" or "I'm a perfectionist"
• Not mirroring the interviewer's demeanor (You're too stiff or too casual)
• Being cocky rather than confident
• Obviously "spinning" negative information or outright lying
• Responding to questions with too much information (or not enough)

Job Market Looking Kind of Spooky?

The recruiters at PrideStaff can make job hunting a lot less scary. Our team will share resume, cover letter, and interview tricks to make finding your next job a treat! Contact PrideStaff to learn more.