Microsoft’s head of recruitment revealed the number 1 mistake that many people make when applying for a job

There are a few golden rules to follow when looking for a new job: Check for typos in your resume, include the correct company address in your cover letter, and arrive on time for all interviews. .

However, on the other hand, some mistakes that are less obvious and harder to avoid can be the cause of your job offer or rejection.

Lauren Gardner, Microsoft’s head of global recruiting, knows these mistakes all too well. She evaluated thousands of candidates during her 31 years as a recruiter for the tech giant.

Gardener shared with CNBC about candidates’ tendency to make a big mistake in their job search.

According to Gardner, the worst thing a candidate can do is “spread out the application”.

“They will send out thousands of resumes and hope that one of them will be successful,” she explains. I don’t recommend submitting just one or two, but when you submit too many, people will start to question what you’re really passionate about.”

Instead, Gardner advises candidates to have their job search targeted, starting with a list of 10-15 companies you’re interested in, and expanding your search if you don’t see results. “Make sure you can show genuine interest in multiple companies,” she adds.

The worst thing a candidate can do is “spread the cover letter”. Photo: Getty Images

It’s important to be brief and make your resume fit on just one page. “People often send out ridiculously long resumes, but no one has the time to go through all of it,” says Gardner.

Your resume needs to be written to double its readability: If you had someone’s attention for 30 seconds, what would you like them to know about you?

“I’ve seen some great resumes. In such resumes, candidates not only provide information about their skills and experience, but also write concisely and highlight some of their interests or passions. All laid out to ensure less than a minute of reading time.”

Gardner said. “That’s the limit people pay attention to – you should be quick to bring out the most special information about yourself.”

Gardner suggests a similar way to achieve the goal of attracting employers: “You don’t have to write hundreds of cover letters – you’ll drive yourself crazy,” she says.

Have a basic cover letter structure for job applications and tailor the details to each company or position you’re applying for. We all know the job market is hot and people are applying to many different companies,” said Gardner. What are you when you work here?”

According to Tan Dat