Job applications with grammatical errors will not land you an interview

Paul Jackman, director of recruitment agency Thorn Baker, on how poorly-prepared applications can hinder people's chances of finding a job in an increasingly competitive market

WE have had a number of positions for trainees in the recruitment sector recently, but the quality of applications is often terrible.

We can tell in an instant the difference between a generic covering letter to one that has been specifically tailored to the role.

We get applications and covering letters that have the details of other companies and vacancies on them – often complete with typos and grammatical errors. It frustrates us when we receive two identical applications for two completely different roles.

People who are actively job-hunting tend to have a template covering letter and CV; this is perfectly acceptable as it saves time.

But if they are serious, potential candidates need to at least read the job description, adjust their application to meet the demands of the role and highlight relevant skills.

Experience also plays a key part in matching candidates to vacancies. Graduates know they aren't going to walk into a job armed with just a degree. They need real relevant experience – not three years spent in a call centre or supermarket.

This services nothing but their debts and, unless that is the field they are going to go into, it has no relevance to their choice of career.

I understand that debt- ridden students need to work more or less as soon as they graduate. In the current job market, they grab whatever they can get their hands on but this shouldn't stop them offering themselves up for a bit of volunteering in the sector of choice or unpaid short-term work experience in their spare time.

I also think that the importance of interviews and job applications should be instilled in young people.

I recently delivered a presentation to a lower sixth form group on interview skills and it was clear that they had little knowledge of the job market and the world of business.

There's no point giving our children an education if we can't equip them with job skills fundamental in life.

Businesses and schools need to link better to provide work experience to young people that will positively impact on their knowledge and pad out their sparse CVs.

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