6/16/2008 - 10 MORE Top Resume and Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid



By Dalya F. Massachi - So you want to improve your nonprofit jobseeking skills? Good news: You’ve come to the right place!

My March 2008 column, “Top 10 Resume and Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid,” was so popular among OK readers that I just can’t resist sharing 10 more of the top mistakes I have seen in resumes and cover letters. So here they are: savor, consider, and discuss them as you wish.

1. Not getting a name for your cover letter

If you can find a way to attach a person’s name to the hiring process – even if it means you have to call the office to find out – you should do it. Cover letters to “human resources manager” are o.k. if you have no choice. A better salutation would be “Dear Ms. Price.”

2. Including an “objective” that is simply to attain the job you are applying for

I am not a huge fan of starting your resume with an “objective.” But if you decide to do it, make it specific to the skills and experience you would like to use and the type of organization you are aiming to work for. A generic objective is just a waste of space.

3. Not showing results from your jobs – only titles or responsibilities

Of course, you need to first list your title and responsibilities for each job you have held. But don’t stop there. Tell your reader about the success you had in the job. Use numbers to quantify your results

For example:
  • how much money you raised
  • what percentage increase you saw in the number of client accounts you serviced
  • the size of the direct mail or publicity campaigns you managed
  • how many entries were in the database you administered
  • the size of the project budget you oversaw
  • how many people comprised the board, committee, or team you managed or coordinated
  • how long you sustained work on projects

BUT: Make sure that numbers you quote can be verified. For example, don’t say that you increased your organization’s visibility by 250% if you cannot back up that number with solid proof.

4. Highlighting education more than experience

This mistake is very common among recent graduates. That is understandable, as the recent degree is usually a very big deal to the resume writer. But it may not be so to the resume reader. Most jobs outside of academia are not exclusively knowledge-based. So it is best not to only talk about what you know but what you have done and can do in the future.

5. Or…letting the preferred education level hold you back

While academic degrees are definitely important to talk about in your resume, your level of experience might make up for a lack in coursework. You may find this to be especially true in the nonprofit sector, where formality, convention, and tradition are not necessarily highly valued commodities. Finding alternative ways of working, pushing the envelope, and making a difference might be much more important.

6. Not highlighting past leadership positions that made you stand out

If you were part of a committee, board, or other group make sure your reader understands the important role you played. If you lead any efforts, campaigns, or events be sure to include that info.

7. Not doing research on the organization you are applying to

With the Internet at your fingertips, you have no excuse for ignorance about the organization you are applying to. Do your research and impress the employers with your knowledge of what they are up to, as well as how closely it fits with your own background.

8. Not being clear about the clients you have worked with in the past
Especially if you helped reach into new communities, describe your recent clients in terms of their demographics. This information may be useful for potential employers to know, particularly if the clientele is similar to their target audience.

9. Burying important information in the middle of a job entry

We know that readers pay the most attention to the beginning and ending of any given block of text. Knowing that, you should place your key information in one of these two hot spots. Don’t make it hard for your reader to pick out the juicy bits.

10. Being too humble or inappropriately conceited

Your resume and cover letter are the primary tools to market yourself as a great candidate for the job. As such, you should promote yourself as much as possible with facts. Stay away from self-congratulatory opinion.

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Got a question about writing in the nonprofit job market? Just want to check in about your experiences? I would love to hear what you have to say! Submit a “comment” on the bottom of this page and let’s get a dialogue going…

Dalya F. Massachi specializes in helping nonprofit professionals advance their missions through outstanding written materials. She has worked with community-minded organizations for more than 15 years: authoring countless successful marketing pieces, articles, and grant proposals; teaching popular writing workshops; and coaching professionals one-on-one.

Download her free tip sheets and subscribe to her free e-newsletter at:
http://www.dfmassachi.net
dalya@dfmassachi.net

NOTE:For many more writing tips, check out my forthcoming book, Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact. If you pre-order right now, you will get a pre-publication discount of 15% at:http://www.dfmassachi.net/wmd.html


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