Mistakes To Avoid On Your Resume
When it comes to the written word, mistakes are hard to avoid. Negligent proofreading is one of the most common culprits in creating a document full of typos, formatting errors, and misspelled words. But you can protect your resume from at least some of these pitfalls by avoiding some common mistakes that applicants commonly make.
Mistakes like using all capital letters or spelling "facilities" as "faacilities" are clear giveaways that you don't know what you're doing with the written word. And while it's tempting to trust spell-checking software to take care of business for you, these programs often fail at the simple task of distinguishing between words that look alike but have different meanings (e.g. "there" and "their").
Here are a few crucial points to keep in mind when making your resume or cover letter look as professional as possible.
1. Keep it simple. If you're applying for an entry-level position, there's no need to use a formal, ornate style of writing that makes War and Peace look like a novella. In fact, in most cases this type of formatting is only going to make potential employers think you're immature or unprofessional. Leave the flowery language for poetry and cheesy love letters! When it comes to resumes, the less words the better; elaborate prose doesn't exactly convey your ability to get things done quickly and efficiently.
2. Avoid "Webese". Using acronyms like LOL and OMG can help build rapport with people you already know, but to an employer who doesn't understand them, they're nothing more than a meaningless collection of letters. A resume is no place for insincere attempts at sounding hip or cool. It's fine to use abbreviations when you're applying for a technical job (e.g. "Windows 7" or "Mainframe"), but you'll be far better served by spelling the words out instead of cutting corners in grammatical laziness.
3. Be concise and precise. Keep sentences short and simple. Use "cut-and-paste" (readable) language, not "Webese". If you need to use abbreviations, spell them out first.
4. Do not confuse the past tense with the future. You are applying to a position for which you will begin working sometime in the future. While it might be tempting to refer to things that transpired in the past (e.g., "I used company A's computer system on a daily basis last year [past tense]"), doing so can easily give employers the impression that you're either unethical or unfamiliar with company policies and procedures (i.e., over-generalizing). To be on the safe side, stick to writing in the present tense.
5. Avoid extremely long sentences. While using big words and pompous phrases can impress clients and make it seem as though you've done your homework, it's still very much a resume/cover letter writing tip that goes against the grain of what you should be doing: communicating clearly. A two-page resume is the maximum length for most employers; anything longer than that tends to look less like a serious marketing effort and more like overly complicated fan fiction from a soap opera. Keep sentences short and to-the-point with as few words as possible; this will also minimize any typos or other mistakes you might make during typing.
6. Don't get excessive with formatting. If you plan to include a photo or other layout elements, be sure to keep them in line with the rest of your resume's tone and presentation. Fancy layouts that use a variety of sizes, fonts, and colors are fine for creative professionals who want to show off their portfolio, but for people applying for an entry-level job in the business world these tactics will only seem ostentatious and self-indulgent.
7. Do not include unnecessary information. If it doesn't directly relate to getting a job done, then leave it out. This is especially true when it comes to resumes where the applicant lists a "skills" section instead of focusing on their qualifications and achievements. If you can't find a way to make your resume/cover letter stand out from the crowd, then you don't need to be spending your time writing it in the first place.
8. Never lie on your resume. Withholding facts or omitting derogatory information will only make you look unprofessional and unethical; this is a hiring manager's worst nightmare! The worst-case scenario here is making up an entirely invented background that completely contradicts your application (e.g., "I'm from Nebraska, but my family moved to New York from Tehran when I was three years old"). Remember, honesty is always the best policy.
9. Do not be sneaky or underhanded. If you're going to lie on your resume then be sure to do it in such a way that you don't leave any obvious "teeth marks" that make it clear that something's up; phrases like "I was a model for this company for four years" are less than ideal for making the resumes of people who don't actually have experience in a certain field (e.g., "[Company] hired me at age 16 to work as an underwear model"), and even if they do, come off as looking unprofessional. Also don't create fake credentials or use an empty cover letter (i.e. no body at all) to "hide the truth"; this is a clear sign that you're trying to hide something and have no intention of providing full disclosure.
10. Avoid "professionalism traps". These mistakes are so common that they almost seem like a joke. Be careful not to use any expressions or words that are commonly used in professional settings but actually mean something completely different in casual conversation (e.g., "I can deal with pressure"; "I'm ready to take on any challenge"), as well as don't use clichés like "strong leadership skills" unless you can back them up with tangible evidence (e.g., "I lead the human resources department daily and have overseen the hiring and training of hundreds of employees").
11. Don't get overly personal. If you're going to make your resume/cover letter sound personal (i.e., "I like to spend my free time..."), then you need to be careful not to go overboard in saying that you enjoy a certain hobby. Unless it's directly relevant (e.g., "I like reading fantasy books"), anything that's not work-related should be avoided at all costs; again, there's a fine line between sounding like an eccentric and seeming silly or unprofessional.
12. Don't lie or create unnecessary complications. If there's anything on your resume that you have an actual conflict of interest with, then you need to be completely honest about it. The same goes for the details on your personal and professional history (e.g., "[Company] terminated my contract with them three months before I was supposed to be rehired); if something needs to be corrected for some reason, then fix it without ducking responsibility.
13. Don't be arrogant or intimidating. While some employers might genuinely appreciate a level of confidence in the form of arrogance (e.g.
Conclusion
The point of attention to this article is to make you consider the following question: "Am I putting myself in a position where I will more likely be hired if I act less like yourself and more like my potential employer?" The answer is yes. While you don't want to be too false in your resume/cover letter, remember that what goes on in your personal life often has no bearing whatsoever on the tasks (and pay) that you're going to receive from a specific employer; employers are not so concerned with who you've dated, or even whether you have a graduate degree. They are solely interested in finding out if you can get the job done without causing any problems.