More Cautionary Tales

This week’s instant deletes in the ever-enlightening resume review that I have been entrusted with.

Call me picky, but…..

1. A resume that popped open with the track changes still ON. Ooops.

2. A large, lovely, full-color photograph of the candidate smiling at me from the upper right quadrant of this resume. Ooh-la-la.

3. The name of another organization to which this applicant was applying in the body of the cover letter. Guess he neglected to proof before he hit ’send.’

The moral of this story? The devil is in the details, death comes slowly by a thousand paper cuts. Assume nothing. Check and double-check. Murphy’s Law is always operative. Potential employers are looking for ways to eliminate you in the early rounds. Play offensively. You only get one chance.

Your brand tarnishes easily.