Confession: Whenever I send in a resume and cover letter to apply for a job, I’m slightly convinced that no one will ever see either. They’ll just float around in the mysterious “cloud” for the remainder of my life, occasionally being skimmed by some bored computer hackers (who will, as a result, fall even deeper into the land of boredom).
And because I feel this way (admit it—you do, too), I sometimes find it hard to put a lot of effort into saying the perfect thing or taking the time to proofread carefully because, who’s going to read this, anyway?
But this isn’t a good mindset to have. At all. While it’s true that recruiters are looking at hundreds of applications (so many that they may be using software programs to screen them), there’s still a chance someone will see it.
And if you don’t take it seriously, you may end up submitting documents that include a phrase, word, or formatting faux pas that causes the hiring manager to raise an eyebrow (or two) and move on to the next one. This video provides some excellent examples of what I’m talking about—enjoy!