A survey of employers by Harris Interactive found that to land a job, it’s important to make your resume stand out from the crowd. For instance, use formatting to make it more readable and double-check for spelling errors. But don’t get too creative. Employers remembered — but did not hire — the applicant who listed moonwalking as a special skill, the one who listed his dog as his personal reference, and the one who claimed his time was so valuable that he insisted the interviewer pay him.
- Only list “Moonwalking” as a special skill if you’re applying to be an astronaut or a Michael Jackson impersonator.
- Don’t list your dog as a reference, but feel free to let him pour over your resume before you send it in.
- It’s also a bad idea to list your mother-in-law as a reference. Chances are good she’s not going to have anything nice to say about you.