5 Resume Mistakes You're Definitely Making
Posted by [email protected] on Dec. 12, 2016 / Career Growth / Subscribe 0
Resumes have been the stress point of many a job seeker since Leonardo Da Vinci submitted the first resume in 1481. Luckily we’ve come a long way in these last 535 years. If you’re looking to or have already started seeking a new job, take a look at our list of 5 mistakes that are often hiding out in your resume:
- You’re highlighting duties instead of accomplishments – It is practical to list your responsibilities in a previous position, but a resume is your chance to brag a little. This is where you can note the positive changes you made or goals you accomplished. Which sounds better “Organized tenant events” or “Increased tenant satisfaction and retention through unique events”? Brevity is important, but clearly stating your effectiveness as an employee is high on the list too.
- Formatting, Formatting, Formatting – This one may seem obvious, but it can be a complicated issue. It’s not always simple to balance between too bland and too flashy. Your resume should be easily readable and in a consistent format, but it shouldn’t literally be the Word Template for a resume. Google is your friend here. There are plenty of online resume templates to help you find a professional, yet noteworthy resume format. You will likely run into some very colorful templates in this venture, but unless you’re applying for a creative-driven position, air on the side of simplicity. Also, keep it short. Unless you’re covering decades of experience, you should be able to keep it to one page of text.
- Typos & grammatical errors – Of course you have proof-read your resume, it’s your A+ material! I’m sure you have, but let’s keep in mind a 2013 CareerBuilder survey found 58% of employers identified résumés with typos as one of the top mistakes that led them to automatically dismiss a candidate. It’s only one page of information (right?) so it should be easy to ask a colleague or professional connection to proof-read your resume. This goes beyond typical spell check too. Keep an eye out for using slang terminology or short-hand that is specific to your current or previous employer.
- Submitting the same resume – You should submit a different resume for each position you’re applying for. Now there’s no need to rewrite every word, but tailoring your information to the job and company you’re applying for is highly beneficial. If you’re applying to a newer company that’s very spread out geographically, it would be good to work in points about excitement in being on the ground floor of projects or your strength in telecommunication. This can show that not only CAN you do this job, you’re the right FIT for this position.
- Using keywords (online) – This is a unique challenge for the 21st century application process. Many employers are using digitally oriented methods of gathering resumes or applicant information and that means they’re filtering the proverbial “stack” of resumes differently. Managers and HR departments often use services that allow them to search through resumes based on keywords. This means you’ll have to pay extra attention to how you’re saying what you’re saying. If you know the position involves managing a team, use the words “manage” and “team” as often as makes sense within your resume.
There’s plenty of additional advice on this topic through other online resources, but hopefully this gives you some good rules with which to review your resume. Now go out there and get hired!
P.S. Be sure to check out our Careers Page for job openings or to post your resume.
About the Author: Lindsay Konlande currently serves as the Association Assistant for IREM Houston. Lindsay earned her Bachelor Degree in Communication from Texas A&M and has several years of experience in marketing, public relations and copywriting.
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