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In most job-filling situations, the employer has the luxury of choosing from several well-qualified applicants, all of whom could probably do the job. That's when the little things, like the common but often unrecognized mistakes described here, almost always come into play. Make sure you avoid them, so they don't cost you a shot at the job. 1. Using a Cutesy Email Address for Correspondence Example: cutiepie@domain.com, or -- far worse -- something like sexkitten@domain.com. You Might Think: It's a clever, memorable email address everyone will get a kick out of. The Employer Will Probably Think: I can't believe someone would actually list this email address on her resume, let alone use it to correspond with me. Will she do the same thing on the job if I hire her? Yikes! 2. Putting a Silly Message on Your Answering Machine Example: A is for academics, B is for beer -- and one of those reasons is why we're not here. So leave a message, OK? You Might Think: Mine is the funniest answering machine message this side of the Mississippi. My friends will love it. The Employer Will Probably Think: Good lord, this person probably lives in Animal House. And I just can't risk interviewing, let alone hiring, someone like Bluto or Flounder. Sorry, Charlie. Click. 3. Sending Your Resume and Cover Letter Without Proofreading You Might Think: Everybody makes mistakes, even employers. So if there's a mistake or two on my resume, no big deal. The employer probably won't even notice, much less care. | 
