Is your application outdated? Job hunting in a modern world.

It may be that you are looking for your first job and relying on advice from parents, teachers, books, or online sources on how to go about it.

It may be that it has been some time since you last looked for a job. Perhaps you are looking to get back into the workforce, or perhaps you find yourself suddenly looking for a new job after a long stint with one employer.

The recruitment world has changed. And, like a lot of change, most of this has happened stealthily and quite unobtrusively. Below are listed some of the biggest traps that will instantly make your application look out of date.

Address

We used to start covering letters with polite addresses such as 'Dear Sirs' or 'To whom it may concern.' This can now be the very thing that puts a potential employer off hiring you.

What was once seen as mannerly is now viewed by many as indicative of laziness. Hirers usually prefer to be addressed by name and, if you don't know the name, there are many tools at your disposal to find out. The professional networking site LinkedIn can be a great help here, and even calling reception to ask is preferable to an impersonal address.

Language

Language is continually evolving, and there are several words and spellings that are rarely used any more. We don't usually put a circumflex or accent over French words that have been adopted into common English usage any more - such as role, or resume. You may argue that the latter now reads as "rezhoom" and the meaning is unclear, but context usually means that it is very obvious which version is intended.

We don't often say "I would like to work at your firm" when referring to a business. We tend to say 'business' or 'company', or use the company's name instead.

It is a tricky balance to get right - especially if, when you last hunted for a job, many of these things were the 'right' thing to do, both in terms of grammar and etiquette. We now prefer a more relaxed style, but the emphasis is still on professional conduct - just eschewing some of the more formal practices.

Listing tasks on a CV

Surely that's how you write a CV? You have your job title, company, and dates, and then you write bullet points with your main tasks and responsibilities on them, all in a list. No.

A good CV SHOULD contain bullet points. You only have 2 pages (no epics here, please) and that means they're a good way of breaking up big blocks of text. However, if I am recruiting a consultant to work for us, I do not need to see the job description of Recruitment Consultant wasting valuable space under each job heading (Responsible for client relationships, advertising, etc.). I know what one does. What can YOU do? What did you bill? Why should I hire you? List achievements that are relevant to your next job - not the duties that I would expect someone in your position to do.

Irrelevant information on CV

Do not list your age, marital status, or religion. All are irrelevant and can open you up to discrimination. Do not list family member's names, your height/ weight (unless directly applicable to the job), your hobbies, or casual/ irrelevant jobs. If you are applying for a senior management position then you do not need to list your Saturday job. I am more interested in why I should hire you, than whether you like reading and playing golf.

Only applying to a vacancy

This is how we used to find jobs. We would scour the paper/ hear of an opening somewhere, and write a letter with our application.

The modern world of recruitment is more fluid than that. Social media has had an impact, as it is easy to be connected to anyone in just a few clicks. You can now look on the internet to find your dream company, see who manages which areas, and contact them speculatively without a job ever being mentioned.

Most companies use recruitment agencies to find them staff. If you are only applying to individual jobs that are advertised then you may miss out on a lot of opportunities that are not advertised. A good recruiter will be able to put several opportunities in front of you, and take the hard work out of knowing who to contact. They will already have relationships with all the companies in your field, so you are immediately ahead by talking to them. Just make sure you find a good one! Recommendations from companies can be a great place to start.

Discrimination

We used to use 'he' to refer to either sex. E.g., "When meeting the interviewer, he will shake your hand." That would refer to either sex. It was less clunky than 'he or she' and use of a plural 'they' when referring to a singular was thought (by some) to be undesirable. Now it is thought of as sexist and outdated. So what do you write?

Where possible you can reword the sentence to make it smoother. Using 'he or she' is fine, but can be arduous if used repetitively. Use of 'they' is actually okay on the grammar front, and was once used commonly. Whichever you decide, don't assume that 'he' or 'sirs' includes the female equivalent.

So now I'm more confused than before

And what if I commit some terrible faux pas, when I'm only trying to be polite?

Well, there is no way that any of us can guarantee that we won't do that but, as the adage goes, forewarned is forearmed.

Try to use plain English where possible. Keep it simple, and think about what you want to communicate. Give the hirer a reason to want to meet with you. Speak to recruiters and ask their advice. A recruitment consultant will proof read your CV for you, and offer advice if there are changes to be made. Be sensitive of discrimination issues.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask questions!