There’s plenty of advice out there about what not to do on your first date. So we all know asking “How many kids do you want to have?” is a bad idea. Unfortunately, not a lot of people—and not just freshers—seem to have any idea about what not to do when applying for a job. Over the years, I’ve hired for roles in training, marketing, customer service, content and design, and see applicants making the same mistakes again and again.

Here are things to avoid the next time you apply for a job.

Dear Sir/Madam…

Would you sign off an email with “Your obedient servant”? Then why would you begin one with “Dear Sir/Madam”? Salutations such as these are relics of the colonial era. It’s best to open your email by addressing your recruiter/hiring manager by name. Finding this name isn’t difficult, especially if you are applying through a portal like LinkedIn. If you can’t find their name, open with a simple, “Hello”. That is a friendly, yet perfectly acceptable, opening for a formal setting, much like business casuals are as an attire.

The Boilerplate Resume

One time, I was hiring writers and the feelers I’d put out clearly mentioned the role title and description. I’d even included a line that said ‘If you don’t fit the role to a T, but would like to give it a shot, tell us why and knock our socks off.’ Yet, the number of boilerplate resumes I got from software testers and sales professionals for this role was astounding. It is frustrating for hiring managers to know that you don’t care enough to tweak your resume or write a few lines on why you’re keen on the role.

Every brand has a distinctive tone of voice and this is usually reflected in their recruitment listings as well. Try and mimic this voice/tone in your covering letter—if the firm is funny, be funny; if they are formal, be formal. This is a subtle way of letting them know that you’re listening and you’re a good fit.

Objective? No, thanks.

A lot of candidates still open their resume with a 2-3 line objective. And most of the time, what’s said here is so generic as to be pointless! Your objective (right now at least) is to get this job. Most hiring managers I know just skip this part and move to your work experience.

A statement of purpose inside your resume isn’t just an outdated practice, but it also takes up valuable space that you could use to talk about more important things (like your professional achievements, learning, or skills). However, if you do have something specific and meaningful to say that you want your prospective employer to know, put it in your covering letter.

Dis is nt gud

The other day, a candidate wrote to me asking for more information about the JD I had shared and the email went something like this: “Hey, cud u fwd me the link to d website? i want to kno more about the role.”

I replied with “Gr8! here u go.” but I suspect the sarcasm was lost on him.

SMS slang is not acceptable in any formal context. It makes you come across as juvenile or careless, and these can be real turn-offs for hiring managers. So take those few extra minutes to compose full sentences!

You’re awesome. But where’s the proof?

How does a potential employer know that you are a good writer or designer or social media strategist? Sure, you could tell them, but it’s even better if you show them. Which is why it is ALWAYS a good idea to share your portfolio or work samples along with your resume. Not only does this make a great impression, it also speeds up the process. Because if you send this proactively, they don’t have to write back asking for one.

This rule applies to a surprising number of job profiles: writers, designers, photographers, visual merchandisers, product managers, social media managers, developers, etc. If you don’t have a portfolio yet, make one. Even a simple document summarizing the top 5 projects you’ve worked on with relevant links will make a difference.