The 9 most common job application mistakes

Natalie Behring/Getty Images

In today's competitive job market, landing a plum new gig seems harder than ever. And no matter how qualified you are, your cover letter-and-resume combo has to really shine if you're going to land an interview.

To make sure you get noticed for the right reasons, be aware of these common job application mistakes — and never make them again.

Did you follow instructions?

Sure, it can feel like jumping through hoops when you apply for a job: Write this cover letter detailing such-and-such, use this subject line, put all material in the body of an email — except for this one thing you need to send as an attachment, and so on.

But following such mandates is an employer's first line of defense against people he or she won't hire.

“Earlier this year when we were looking to hire a new blogger, we asked candidates to include their resume in the body of the email only and not to attach it," says Ian Aronovich, president and co-founder of GovernmentAuctions.org."By employing this tactic we were able to weed out nearly 85 percent of applicants because they weren't able to follow simple directions."

Don't just apply for any position

There may be a company you'd kill to work for in any capacity, but you don't want to convey that outright in your application.

For one, it looks unprofessional. Pat Kelley, author of "Hiring Right: A Business Blueprint for Lower Turnover and Higher Profits," says that leaving the box for"position applied for" blank, or answering"any," is a huge no-no.

"I'm looking for someone who has specific goals and specific skills," she explains.

Also, by saying you'll take any job, you can come off as desperate.

"On an application or a resume, don't say something like, ‘I'm a hard worker and I really need a job,'" Kelley says."I'm not running a social services agency; I'm looking for people who can make a contribution to my company. Working hard is nice, but it's not enough."

Watch that sloppy grammar

We all know that typos ensure your resume and cover letter will find their way to the trash, but it's not just about running spell check.

For example, headhunter Rikka Brandon says her number-one pet peeve is seeing"manager" spelled as"manger." (And please don't ever confuse"your" and"you're" if you know what's good for you.)

Another error that Word won't catch is a tense change.

"Don't put a few bullets in past tense and others in present for the same job title," says Tracy Vistine, lead recruiter with Messina Group, a national staffing firm.

Have a trusted friend (or, hey, your mom) read over your CV to make sure you catch every last mistake.