Common Resume Mistakes

It’s true that there are many steps to the job search process, but one of the most important is creating your resume, and each resume should be a reflection of your skills and accomplishments. Resumes can be difficult to write and it can seem like anything goes when you're putting yours together. But in order to make sure your resume is as effective as possible — read: helps you get an interview — here are some common mistakes Jobseekers make with their resumes.

1) Listing personal interests or hobbies: You might love reading about space exploration or watching the latest blockbuster movie, but these things have nothing to do with what you want for yourself in terms of a career. We’re not saying you should never include things like this on your resume, but don’t list them as interests or hobbies if your goal is to find a job in an industry where those things don’t apply.

2) Being vague about your job duties: Sure, you might have been the one who ran errands at the office every day, but did you manage a team? Did you organize company events? Did you work closely with senior management? Try to include concrete details in each position rather than being vague. The more detailed and specific your resume is, the better.

3) Not including enough of your experience: Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your resume must be a summary of every single thing you’ve done. Resumes work best when they focus on career achievements and what you can bring to the table for a potential employer. If you have gaps in your resume, mention them — but don’t use that as an excuse to leave off parts of your background.

4) Not earning the degree you say you have: Make sure that each position in your resume is related to what is stated on it, especially if they are jobs where education is important. If you hope to get into a particular graduate program, it should be on your resume.

5) Overusing job titles: While experience is a major component of resumes, you also need to include a mention of the job titles you held (or if they were volunteer positions). If you worked as a barista at Starbucks but never held that title anywhere else, it's only going to hurt your chances of being more specific.

6) Not mentioning relevant skills: Career achievements are important, but so are individual skills and abilities. Make sure those are mentioned on each resume. The more diverse your skills the better chance that someone will review your resume for the position for which you’re applying.

7) Overusing buzzwords: It’s true that companies are looking for people who can think outside the box. It’s also true, however, that these words are used so often in resumes that they have lost their meaning. Don’t say you “think outside the box” unless you actually do.

8) Not mentioning awards or certifications: If you have them, they should be included in a section on your resume titled “awards and certifications.” Remember, though, that this is not the place to list all of your achievements — only those that directly relate to the job for which you are applying.

9) Not including the right keywords: Keywords describe your skills; they are the bridge to getting you an interview. Don’t miss out on this opportunity by not using any at all. A good rule of thumb is to use more precise job titles that incorporate a specific type of skill set (ex: Sales, Marketing, Project Management).

10) Being vague about your employment dates: You might be tempted to leave off the dates of each employment stint, but you should always include them for each position on your resume. Individual employers might have preferences for how employment dates are shown and you don’t want to miss out on an opportunity because you didn’t check their guidelines before submitting your resume.

11) Lying about why you left a job: In some cases, lying on your resume is necessary. If you were let go by your employer after only a few days on the job, then it’s okay to undercut that short-term employment with a line about how difficult it was to work under an abrasive supervisor. But if you used this as an excuse to leave a position, then you should not lie about it.

12) Leaving out your advanced degrees: As mentioned earlier, it is important to include the degree you earned and some information about the field of study. If you have advanced degrees, however, do not leave off any mention of them in your job related section.

13) Having a boring resume: There are plenty of websites that can help you create a neat looking resume. It might be tempting to add color to your resume by using bullet points or adding fonts that are different from what is used by most employers. Don’t go overboard with this though; use variety sparingly and always stick within the lines of what resumes have always been expected to look like.

If you’re ready to start creating your resume, or you know someone who would benefit from realizing the above mistake, then definitely take a look at our resume builder. It’s entirely free and allows you to create a resume that looks exactly like what employers are accustomed to.

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Category: Business, Career Advice & Tips, Featured posts, Marketing & Advertising, Resumes/CVs/Cover Letters, Writing & Speaking Tags: business-advice, career-advice, career-advice-tips, general-career-advice, hilla-vishwantuarachchi@live.co.uk, hiring-process, karen-taylor.omaha@yale.edu, resume-tips, resume-writing

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Common Resume Mistakes

Common Resume Mistakes

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