CV/RESUME MISTAKES It is deceptively easy to make mistakes on your CV/resume and exceptionally difficult to repair the damage once

an employer gets it. So prevention is critical, especially if you have never written one before. Check out this guide which includes the most common pitfalls and how you can avoid them. Typos and Grammatical Errors Your CV needs to be grammatically perfect. If it does not meet this requirement, employers will read between the lines and draw not-so-flattering conclusions about you, like: "This person can't write," or "This person obviously doesn't care." Lack of Specifics Employers need to understand what you have done and accomplished. For example: A. Worked with employees in a hospital setting. B. Recruited, hired, trained and supervised more than 20 employees in a hospital. Both of these phrases could describe the same person, but the details and specifics in example B will more likely grab an employer's attention. Attempting One Size Fits All Whenever you try to develop a one-size-fits-all CV to send to all employers, you almost always end up with something employers will toss in the recycle bin. Employers want you to write a CV specifically for them. They expect you to clearly show how and why you fit the position in a specific organization. Highlighting Duties Instead of Accomplishments It is easy to slip into a mode where you simply start listing job duties on your CV. For example: * Attended group meetings and recorded minutes. * Worked with children in a day-care setting. * Updated departmental files. Employers, however, are interested in what you have accomplished in your various activities. They are looking for statements more like these:

* Used laptop computer to record weekly meeting minutes and compiled them in a Microsoft Word-based file for future organizational reference. * Reorganized 10 years worth of unwieldy files, making them easily accessible to department members. Going on Too Long or Cutting Things Too Short Despite what you may read or hear, there are no real rules governing CV length. Why? Because human beings, who have different preferences and expectations where CVs are concerned, will be reading it. That does not mean you should start sending out five-page CVs, of course. Generally speaking, you usually need to limit yourself to a maximum of two pages. But do not feel obliged to use two pages if one will do. Conversely, do not downsize your CV in order to make it conform to an arbitrary one-page standard. A Bad Objective Employers do read your CV's objective statement, but too often they plow through vague pufferies like, "Seeking a challenging position that offers professional growth." Give employers something specific and, more importantly, something that focuses on their needs as well as your own. Example: "A challenging entry-level marketing position that allows me to contribute my skills and experience in fund-raising for nonprofits." No Action Verbs Avoid using phrases like "responsible for." Instead, use action verbs: "Resolved user questions as part of an IT help desk serving 4,000 students and staff." Leaving Off Important Information You may be tempted, for example, to eliminate mention of the jobs you have taken to earn extra money for school. Typically, however, the soft skills you have gained from these experiences (e.g., work ethic, time management) are more important to employers than you might think. Visually Too Busy If your CV is wall-to-wall text featuring five different fonts, it will most likely give the employer a headache. So show your CV to several other people before sending it out. Do they find it visually attractive? If what you have is hard on the eyes, revise.

Incorrect Contact Information Double-check even the most minute, taken-for-granted details -- sooner rather than later. COVER LETTER MISTAKES Using the Wrong Cover Letter Format The student's cover letter looked more like a cut-and-paste email than a business letter. It had no recipient information, no return address and no date. The letter screamed Im unprofessional. Be sure your cover letter uses a standard business-letter format. It should include the date, the recipient's mailing address and your address. Making It All About You It may seem counterintuitive, but your cover letter, like your CV, should be about the employer as much as it is about you. Yes, you need to tell the employer about yourself, but do so in the context of the employer's needs and the specified job requirements. Not Proofing for Typos and Grammatical Errors Employers tend to view typos and grammatical errors as evidence of your carelessness and inability to write. Proofread every letter you send. Get additional cover letter help by asking a friend who knows good writing double-check your letter for you. Making Unsupported Claims Too many cover letters from college students and recent grads say the applicant has "strong written and verbal communication skills." Without evidence, it is an empty boast. Give some examples for each claim you make. Employers need proof. Writing a Novel A good cover letter should be no longer than one page. Employers are deluged with CVs and cover letters, and their time is scarce. Make sure your cover letter has three or four concise but convincing paragraphs that are easy to read. If your competitor's letter rambles on for two pages, guess which candidate the employer will prefer.

Using the Same Cover Letter for Every Job and Company Employers see so many cover letters that it is easy for them to tell when you are using a one-size-fits-all approach. If you have not addressed their company's specific concerns, they will conclude you do not care about this particular job. It is time-consuming but worthwhile to customize each cover letter for the specific job and company. Not Sending a Real Cover Letter Some job seekers -- college students, recent grads and even those with years of work experience do not bother sending a cover letter with their CV. Others type up a one or two-sentence "here's my CV" cover letter, while others attach handwritten letters or sticky notes.

RECOMMENDATION MISTAKES Many applicants are eager to get letters from famous professors they took classes from. The problem is that classes taught by famous professors almost always have hundreds of students. It is better to get a letter from someone who has got a chance to know you and your personality and to understand what motivates you to pursue a career in medicine. Choose a member of the teaching staff who taught a small seminar course, or who saw you work in a research or clinical volunteer setting. Another common applicant mistake is to select recommenders whose letters will not answer questions about your potential as a health care professional. Moreover, even qualified recommenders are a poor choice if they know you so well that they may not be seen as objective. Avoid getting recommendations from family friends, even if that includes the Chair of Surgery at the local medical school. Even if the recommendation is glowing, it may not carry as much punch as one that does not have the potential for bias. Applicants should also avoid monotony and consider the combined impact their three recommendation letters will have. A little diversity may be the key to success. It would be much more effective to include a letter from a literature or classics or philosophy professor who might be able to say something like, Sarah brings a refreshing and unique perspective to our philosophical discussions which is not typical of someone who has such academic achievement in the sciences. That would show the admissions committee that you are strong across the board, not just in science.