On the other hand, I know that some people deliberately make no effort – they don’t really want the job. They just have to track that they’ve applied for unemployment insurance purposes.

We received nearly 40 applications, and among them were applications with nearly everything you listed above. The one that shocked me the most was the bit about following directions. We had what I thought was a very clear application process, with a 1-2-3 what to do to apply, which included reading our website and researching us a bit to make sure they were in alignment with that.

And, it was surprising how obvious it was that some people didn’t take the time to do that, even though we asked. I would’ve thought that would be just an automatic thing to do, but nope, not even when it was asked. I was reading the applications and saying to myself: “Do you have any idea what we do and who we are?” Shredder. (They still received a polite “no” email.)

So, I would add that to the list of “To Do’s” – research the company on the web- read anything and everything they’ve put out. Do a Google search on their company name, and the names of their executives. It doesn’t take that long, and you can then craft an application that really speaks to the company.

Thanks for listening. I was just shocked, that’s all.

So it’s handy to keep in mind that while these standards are common practice within North America, they aren’t everywhere in the world. These “non-standard” practices are sometimes noticeable when immigrants are applying to North American jobs.

You are certainly welcome to disagree as some have done – as mentioned, I’m not an H.R. professional, just sharing how I do the screening for these kinds of things.

Also, perhaps I should have mentioned that for this position, we were specifically looking for someone with intermediate-to-advanced computer skills. If it was a position or industry that required only basic skills, then I wouldn’t be that concerned with someone listing Word proficiency, using an AOL address, etc.

To me those things do not make someone a bad person or anything like that – it just shows that they are not that advanced a computer user, which may or may not be a problem depending on the position.

I get a lot of resumes where I work, and I throw out 95% of them straight away. Many of them have really weird things written that you just wouldn’t put on a resume, and the rest are mostly just really… bad, for all these reasons and more.

I was taught to not put references on a resume, instead to write, “Available upon request” which I think sounds reasonable – if someone is going to be contacted on your behalf, I think it fair to forewarn them that somebody is going to be calling them.

I think it’s important to note that for college students applying for internships or first-time positions that random information, if it sets you apart, is helpful. We had a young man apply for an internship that is a junior in college, and he included his exemplary SAT scores and and the fact that he was an Eagle Scout. This told me two things: that he could learn, and that he could apply himself. I would not expect to see the SAT scores or Eagle Scout on his resume once he graduates and enters the workforce, nor would I expect to see work experience such as waiting tables, cutting grass, etc.

With regards to Brandon’s comment about job titles, it’s important to note that roles aren’t comparable from company to company, or even within companies. What you are responsible for and who your interactions are with are more important than the title. Even within organizations, or large departments, others may have no idea responsibilities a role may have if your work doesn’t intersect.

I like seeing current volunteer experience on resumes, but consider social sororities or fraternities to be a negative.