If you think the job market is competitive, try searching for a job online.  It’s so easy for candidates to apply – one can literally reply to hundreds of job ads within only a few mouse clicks.  Because of this, employers receive so many resumes for each job posting that it is nearly impossible to select the best candidates.  Methods employed just to filter out junk can sometimes result in the loss of strong candidates, as well.

Obviously, standing out is a must.  One of the best ways to do this is to simply follow directions.  It sounds easy, but you might be surprised at how many job hunters fail to follow simple directions for applying for the job that are posted in the job ad itself.  They get too involved in the “click, click, click” process of sending their resume to every employer that they don’t take a moment to find out what the application requirements actually are.

But this is a critical mistake, because just hoping that an employer will read your resume and know that it is destiny that you must work for his or her company….is just naive.  If you don’t follow directions, the likelihood that the employer will even see your resume at all is slim to none.

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