Avoid These Common Mistakes on Resumes
To ensure your resume gets proper attention, avoid these 11 all-too-common mistakes:
- Not bothering with a cover letter
Cover letters are so important to the application process that many professional
hiring managers automatically reject resumes that arrive without them. Make
the most of your cover letter by expanding on a few of your qualifications,
explaining any gaps in employment or providing other information that will
entice the employer to read your resume.
- Giving your resume flair
Unusual fonts or graphics will certainly make your resume stand out - In
a Bad way! Keep your resume looking professional by sticking with standard
methods, black type and common fonts like Arial or Times New Roman.
- Going to long
Your resume shouldn't be longer than two pages, so only include your most recent
or relevant work history; this is work experience no older than ten years
or work experience that is relevant to the job your submitting the resume
for. Example: If you have experience from twenty years ago that's perfect
for this job, include it and leave out other non-relevant experience.
- Focusing on duties not accomplishments
Instead of writing a list of job duties on your resume, demonstrate how each duty contributed to your company's/ School's bottom line. For example, anyone can plan the company/ school fund-raiser, but if you note that your fund-raiser brought in 50% more money than the previous year's event, the hiring manager will take notice.
- Having a selfish objective
Employers are trying to determine whether you're a good fit for their organization, so everything on your resume should point to your experience. A summary of qualifications that conveniently displays your accomplishments and background is far more effective than a generic objective statement ("To gain experience in...").
- Being to generic
Always customize your resume and cover letter for each job and employer
to which you apply. This way, you can tailor your materials to show how
you will be a perfect fit for the position and that employer.
- Guesstimating your dates and titles
With the proliferation of background checks, any "upgrades" you give your titles
or stretching of employment dates to cover gaps will likely get caught, and eliminate
you from consideration. Be careful with titles and dates, if your not sure double
check because a prospective employer may see your accidental mistake as lying.
- Tell everyone why you left
Never put anything negative on your resume. If you left the position due
to a layoff or you were fired, bring it up only when and if your asked.
- Include lots of personal information
It's fine if you enjoy fishing on sunday afternoons, but unless your hobby relates
to your career, it doesn't belong on your resume. The same goes for your height,
weight, religious affiliation, sexual orientation or any other facts that
could potentially be used against you.
- Assume spell-check is correct
Spell-checkers can pick up many typos - but they won't catch everything (manger
vs. manager for example). Always proofread your resume several times, and
ask your instructor to give it a final review.
- Informal conversational tone
Using an informal conversational tone can really come across as offensive and
rude, and you may not even be aware of it. Remember always screen your email
addresses, emails, text messages and cell phone answering tones before contacting
a potential employer. It might mean a possible job if your potential boss
receives an email with an address such as gotohell69@gmail.com or content
that isn't Professional in nature/ structure. Also avoid giving disconnected
numbers or cell phone numbers that will have them listening to obnoxious or
long songs well they wait for the voicemail, these employers usually hang
up and never call you back. Once you are in college, and if you check
it often, you can use your student email address on your resume; this is a
plus to include and partially proves that your going to school.
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