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No employer has the time for an unprofessional resume. Eto lang ang one and only chance mo to make the best impression about who you are and what you can offer to your prospective overseas employer. Kailangan mo ng isang da-best at panalong panalo na resume to stand out in the sea of other resumes, you need to avoid all of the following mistakes that can make your resume look unprofessional.

1. You don’t care about the final look

The look of your resume can either make the HR manager read it or dedmahin lang. You may have the most impressive qualifications for the job pero kung hindi naman kabigha-bighani ang dating para mapansin then how will anyone know the stuff you are made out of?

It is not sufficient to have the requisite qualifications; the manner of presentation is also what matters. May kasabihan nga tayo: "the way you dress is the way you will be addressed”. The aesthetic appeal of your resume is part of what makes you a professional. Don’t ignore the final presentation; make it look easy and compelling to read.

2. You don’t sell your strength

You need to remember that you are a product waiting to be chosen and what the business wants is a product that brings benefits. Many applicants play down their strengths, but this is a mistake because no matter what you did in your last job or the qualifications you possess, kailangan mo ibenta ang sarili mo to the employer.

Even a beginner needs to show with confidence what he or she can do. The employer wants an employee who can sell himself well because if you can’t sell yourself, how will you sell the business you are to work for?

3. Sending a generic resume

The worst thing to do when preparing your resume is submitting a resume developed for the hospitality business to apply for a sales job. Walang mararating ang generic resumes, they don’t sell anything and do not address the needs of the would-be employer. You need to avoid this mistake by customizing each and every resume for the job you are applying to. With a tailored resume, you can show your skills and knowledge that will be beneficial to the employer.

4. Use a passive voice in your resume

Maliban sa wrong spelling o wrong grammar, the way you construct your resume wording, the sentences and everything in your communication must be active. Using passive phrases and sentences makes it difficult for the employer to make meaning out of what you are saying in your resume.

Your qualification is not only what matters when searching for a job, how you present yourself and your use of language also matters. Use positive phrases like ‘can’ instead of ‘could’; ‘will’ instead of ‘would’, etc.

5. Typos in resume

Kung wala kang quality time to proofread your most important document of the moment, then you are not going to get interviewed. Professionalism is about paying keen attention to every detail. Therefore, if your resume is full of typos or even has one typo, no employer will take you seriously and will realize that you are careless by nature.

Kailangan mong busisiin ng mabuti yung resume mo for any wrongly spelled word, correct positive terms and grammar. Makakatulong din if you can give your resume to a second person to proofread for you and after that, look through it again to be sure your address is correct, the contact phone is right, and the same goes for your email.

6. Your resume is not a magazine, don’t overdo the formatting

Yes, your final resume presentation is important but don’t overdo it. Use just one family of typeface and don’t try to look fancy by using many different typefaces and bold text na minsan eh masakit sa mata. You are not to turn your resume into a graphic presentation or a colorful artwork. As long as it is written in legible text and evenly spaced to avoid clumsiness, you are ready to go.

7. Inappropriate file name

Your prospective employer wants something unique from you and expects you should know what standard practice in your profession is. When naming your resume filename, naming your resume as “Jun 2017 Resume” does not speak of you as a professional. Rather, a professional should name their resume file appropriately to give whoever is looking at it some precise information about you or the job you are applying for, even before they open it.

8. Using fancy email

You are a professional and not some street guy or gal and the way you name your email should reflect the professionalism in you. Hindi professional ang gumamit ng pa-cute or medyo bastos ang dating na email address. What will be your reaction when you read an email address like “Badass33@gmail.com?” if you were the recruiting officer at a company abroad prospecting for new employees from the Philippines, how will you react to such an email address?

When naming your email address, it is best to use your full name that will be understandable to whoever is getting your email.

In conclusion, your resume is the window through which a prospective employer abroad will first take a peep at you and have a first impression assessment of your professionalism before they have the opportunity of meeting you in person. What first impression are you creating with your resume?

©2017 Ikon Solutions Asia, Inc.

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