If you’ve arrived at this web page, it’s likely for two reasons: either you received an “error 86” while uploading your resume to Dice, or you’re genuinely interested in improving your resume for your job hunt. We’ll tackle the former issue first, then give you some advice about the latter.
If you’re receiving a Dice error 86, you can reach out directly for support. If you want to try to fix the error 86 on your own, start by clearing your browser cache, which can sometimes resolve any connectivity, cache, and cookie issues. Once you’ve done that, restart your browser and try your previous action again.
If that doesn’t work, try a different browser, such as Google Chrome. Different browsers have different extensions which may interfere with some elements of Dice.com. If that doesn’t work, feel free to reach out to support; make sure to mention it’s Dice error 86.
Actual Fatal Resume Errors
Lots of mistakes can potentially lead a hiring manager or recruiter to disregard your resume. For example, rampant grammatical errors and typos, or neglecting to include keywords relevant to the job. But perhaps the biggest unforced error is failing to show how your previous job connects to the position you’re applying for.
Always keep in mind that recruiters and hiring managers need to know that your previous experience and current skills will help a company advance its strategy (and earn money). For example, if you’re applying for a position as a full-time iOS developer, you’ll want to list how you built, maintained, and fixed iOS apps at your last job. If your potential employer is in a highly specialized industry such as finance, make sure to mention any experience you’ve had in that industry. It’s critical to customize your resume to tightly align with the specifics of any job; submitting a generic resume to a position will rarely yield good results.
Your cover letter is also a vital way to show how your skills and experience are relevant to the position. Keep your cover letter’s prose tight and focused, but make sure to spend the first and second paragraphs breaking down how your background makes you the best possible candidate for the job. It usually pays off to review the original job posting and echo its language (and keywords) in your cover letter. Before sitting down to write, research the employer’s projects and strategy, and (briefly) discuss how you can help with those.
Last but certainly not least, review both your cover letter and resume in tandem, making sure your details and timelines are consistent between each. It never hurts to have at least one friend review the documents to catch anything you might have missed. And remember: be cautious and thoughtful about using A.I. to write any cover letter or resume; a machine doesn’t know your history and skills nearly as well as you do.
