Eco-Planners receives many inquiries for jobs. After seeing applicants make the same mistakes again and again and again, we thought it might be helpful to put together a short list of common mistakes that will blow your chances of getting a job.
Mistake #1: Leading with Your Passion
In the piles of emails and requests that we get every week from job seekers, more than half of them use some form of the word “passion”. Here are a couple of excerpts from cover letters/bios I’ve received in the last week:
“My passions for renewable energy and sustainable development have driven my success…”
“I am passionate about helping companies create cultures that support and inspire their employees and community.”
“In my last corporate role I initiated corporate sustainability initiatives, mostly fueled by my own passion…”
Here is a hint: passion isn’t a selling point, it’s the minimum requirement to work in sustainable development. We are ALL passionate about sustainability, and we’ll assume you are too.
Yes, it’s great to be enthusiastic – but when EVERYONE is passionate about a topic, it no longer becomes something that makes you stand out. When we see a cover letter with the word “passion” in the first paragraph, it automatically gets put into the “no thanks” pile. Why? Here is what leading with your “passion” says to us:
Solution: be enthusiastic—but let that excitement show through your discussion of your skills, your experience, and your approach to working on sustainability projects.
Mistake #2: Sloppiness
Don’t just shoot off a resume and cover letter to every sustainability job that comes across your computer screen. Please, please, please show a little restraint. For one thing, you will forever be on our hiring blacklist if you send us a cover letter addressed to the WRONG COMPANY because in your hurry the copy-and-paste job got a little sloppy (we wish I could say that this happens only rarely).
Even if you don’t make an obvious mistake like that one, let us assure you that it is easy to spot a “buckshot” approach to job seeking. The same generic resume, the same boring cover letter. It’s a waste of your time. You need to switch from shotgun to sniper mode.
Mistake #3: Not Following Directions
This is an easy one, with an easy solution. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. If the job announcement says e.g., "Must be a Singapore National", then don’t apply if you are not . Or Must have at least 15 years experience, don´t apply if you don´t have it. And if it says only the applicants selected for an interview will be contacted, then don’t harass the poor HR manager about whether or not you have been chosen. We know, it’s so tempting to just break all the rules and go after the job you want (and we are shamed to see other job advice and career counselors recommending breaking the rules) but we promise, it doesn’t work!
You probably know someone, or have heard a story about someone who broke the rules and by showing persistence got the job. This is the exception to the rule, and it has the unfortunate effect of making lots of people think that they too can be the exception to the rule.
Other advice: Ten words and terms that ruin a resume
Mistake #1: Leading with Your Passion
In the piles of emails and requests that we get every week from job seekers, more than half of them use some form of the word “passion”. Here are a couple of excerpts from cover letters/bios I’ve received in the last week:
“My passions for renewable energy and sustainable development have driven my success…”
“I am passionate about helping companies create cultures that support and inspire their employees and community.”
“In my last corporate role I initiated corporate sustainability initiatives, mostly fueled by my own passion…”
Here is a hint: passion isn’t a selling point, it’s the minimum requirement to work in sustainable development. We are ALL passionate about sustainability, and we’ll assume you are too.
Yes, it’s great to be enthusiastic – but when EVERYONE is passionate about a topic, it no longer becomes something that makes you stand out. When we see a cover letter with the word “passion” in the first paragraph, it automatically gets put into the “no thanks” pile. Why? Here is what leading with your “passion” says to us:
- You have mostly enthusiasm, rather than experience
- You don’t have any hard skills to bring to the table
- You are emotional, not practical
Solution: be enthusiastic—but let that excitement show through your discussion of your skills, your experience, and your approach to working on sustainability projects.
Mistake #2: Sloppiness
Don’t just shoot off a resume and cover letter to every sustainability job that comes across your computer screen. Please, please, please show a little restraint. For one thing, you will forever be on our hiring blacklist if you send us a cover letter addressed to the WRONG COMPANY because in your hurry the copy-and-paste job got a little sloppy (we wish I could say that this happens only rarely).
Even if you don’t make an obvious mistake like that one, let us assure you that it is easy to spot a “buckshot” approach to job seeking. The same generic resume, the same boring cover letter. It’s a waste of your time. You need to switch from shotgun to sniper mode.
Mistake #3: Not Following Directions
This is an easy one, with an easy solution. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. If the job announcement says e.g., "Must be a Singapore National", then don’t apply if you are not . Or Must have at least 15 years experience, don´t apply if you don´t have it. And if it says only the applicants selected for an interview will be contacted, then don’t harass the poor HR manager about whether or not you have been chosen. We know, it’s so tempting to just break all the rules and go after the job you want (and we are shamed to see other job advice and career counselors recommending breaking the rules) but we promise, it doesn’t work!
You probably know someone, or have heard a story about someone who broke the rules and by showing persistence got the job. This is the exception to the rule, and it has the unfortunate effect of making lots of people think that they too can be the exception to the rule.
Other advice: Ten words and terms that ruin a resume