When reading a resume, what red flags do recruiters look out for?

One of the easiest ways to get your application out of the running? Typos. There are so many people applying for the same job, a recruiter needs to be diligent. Often, that means they’ll throw away any resume that’s not correctly proofread without even looking at the content. So check, double check, and even triple check your resume to make sure it’s free of errors. You’ll also want to be careful about including long gaps on your resume with no explanation. Some companies have stringent hiring practices that would clearly frown on gaps. If there is a gap, recruiters/hiring managers tend to become a little suspicious and so they must be explained. Finally, many inconsistencies, exaggerations, or straight-up lies on your resume can easily be found by cross-checking with former employers, so don’t even think about it. If a recruiter can’t trust your resume, how are they supposed to trust you as an employee?

I keep hearing about personal branding in a job search. Exactly what is personal branding?”

Simply put, personal branding is what you are known for – that is your strengths and characteristics that differentiate you from other people and shows an employer what you’re capable of. Clarifying what makes you different will help your target employer understand the value you offer and make you stand out. Think of branding this way… in your field of expertise, what skills, passions, and experiences do you offer that cannot be found in someone else?

How do personality skills and interest relate to career choices?

Let’s say you love automobiles (interest). You read a lot of magazines about automobiles, you want to know about new trends, technologies and how different models and cars are different from each other. This is your interest driving you. On the other hand, you are also an outgoing person who loves interacting with people, public speaking and love to build relationships with people instead of working by yourself in an office. Now you could choose to combine your interest in automobiles and your extrovert personality to work in market research in the field of Automobiles. Market research is an area that requires you to talk to people, read about automobiles, write articles and speak to the media about your analysis. As you can see, you can build a career based on the combination of interest and personality.