Top Ten Resume Mistakes to Avoid
A resume is your chance to communicate your value to future employers. While it’s true that there is no perfect resume, each employer or recruiter will have their own vision for the ideal candidate, there are common resume mistakes you can easily avoid. Knowing recruiters or hiring managers are likely spending less than a minute scanning your CV, your resume must be well done, with no glaring errors.
Avoid these resume mistakes to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward and scoring an interview.
1) Make sure there are no spelling or grammar errors:
It will be difficult for hiring managers to take you seriously if you have obvious spelling or grammar issues on your resume. If done well, your CV can communicate your professionalism and attention to detail. So, make sure your document is free of mistakes.
2) Avoid distracting formatting:
It’s OK to use professional formatting and subdued colors on your resume, but these design elements should support your objective to get an interview. That means you should only include color or formatting when it makes your resume easier to read. If bright colors, inconsistent formatting, or strange fonts create a distraction, you can be sure your resume will be tossed aside.
3) Don’t use an unprofessional email address:
All areas of your resume should be professional. That includes your contact information. So, if you’re still using a silly email address, don’t be surprised if you don’t score an interview.
4) Submit a resume of proper length:
Your document shouldn’t be too short or too long. If you’re new in your career and don’t have a robust work history, your resume should still be a full page. Need tips on creating your first resume? Check out our full article on that here.
If you’re further along in your career, your resume may be longer than a page, but it shouldn’t be a novel. Prioritize the information most relevant to the position for which you’re applying. If your resume is four pages long, it likely won’t get read.
5) Don’t include objectives:
Anything you would put in a resume objective can likely go unsaid. Thus, including this information has gone out of fashion. The recruiter or hiring manager can assume you want to “add value to a quickly growing organization.” Instead of including an objective, include a summary statement that conveys who you are in four sentences or less. Think of this statement as a billboard advertising how you can quickly add value to their organization.
6) Don’t submit one long job description:
Resumes should focus on your results, not on your previous tasks. When creating your CV, show potential employers how you’ve added value in the past. You can do this by submitting a CV full of your accomplishments, with hard metrics and measurable successes.
7) Don’t use jargon:
When creating a resume, it’s easy to get caught up and overuse corporate lingo. Don’t overuse phrases such as “thought leader” “strong communication skills” or “proven track record of success.” Don’t tell recruiters what you’ve done; show them by focusing on results instead of buzzy phrases.
8) Don’t submit a generic resume:
You should always tailor your resume to the job for which you’re applying. That means making sure your career summary and each element within your career history show why you’re a great candidate. If you treat your resume as a static document, you’re probably not highlighting the most important pieces of your career history for each job you apply to.
9) Don’t stretch the truth:
Recruiters and hiring managers are intimately familiar with the positions they’re filling, and they speak with many candidates, so they’ll know fairly quickly if you’re exaggerating your expertise. Embellishing your experience is a surefire way to make sure you don’t get this job and that you’re not even considered for future openings.
10) Don’t include unnecessary information:
Space is precious on a resume. Each piece of information you include should display your value and further confirm that you deserve an interview. If there’s extraneous info on your CV, such as personal information or detailed info on contacting references, take this off and use the space more productively.