8 Reasons Your Resume Stinks
To get the most out of your job search you need to have a very well written resume and the smallest mistake can be your downfall. Each job seeker is unique and certain details on your resume will make you stand out professionally!
When writing a good resume, you should focus on making sure that it will not be disregarded or discarded because of one of the following resume red flags:
Job Search RED FLAG #1 – TYPO on your Resume!
The top resume blunder is a typographical error – most companies and recruiters will not excuse more than two typos and there is a 95% chance that your resume will be tossed to the B or C candidates pile. You want to be on the A list. Most hiring professionals will take your typo as an indication of your skill-set, and as a measure of your office software experience- everyone has spell-check or even perhaps that you are not that interesting in the roll because you couldn’t be bothered to edit your resume.
You need to proofread 2 or 3 times before you distribute your resume. Even ask a friend to check it too; a fresh set of eyes always catches something you might have missed. Remember your resume is your first impression to HR or even a future boss.
Job Search RED FLAG #2 – Irrelevant Information
Job seekers sometimes try to show their softer side and relate information that is not specific to their careers. Remember to outline all your key attributes to your future career and how you want to get there, leverage your experience. Putting your golf handicap or where you went on your second honeymoon is not irrelevant. We can guarantee HR will cast your resume into the trash without even putting you on a list!
Job Search RED FLAG #3 – Fancy Format Mistakes
Your resume is looked over by an HR professional, they will scan your resume within 20-30 seconds. If the top of the resume is not formatted or seems unprofessional and messy, it will work against you. Use Word or PDF and don’t overdo the format with too many lines and fancy boxes etc. – the simpler, the better. You don’t want to seem like you are overcompensating because of lack of expertise. Make it easy for HR to view it, comprehend it, qualify your key skills and file it for immediate follow up.
Job Search RED FLAG #4 – There is no “I” in Job
Don’t ever say: “I was responsible for day-to-day” operations
Say: “Responsible for day to day operations”
Relate to your self as a third party and you will stand out and seem more professional.
Job Search RED FLAG #5 – Jack of all trades, master of none
24% of job seekers believe they will look better to employers if they appear “well-traveled” and overload their resume with tedious descriptions of multiple committees they are on, how many different and varying job titles they have had, different industries and cities they’ve worked in etc. Regrettably, this has the opposite effect because it will make you appear as desperate and without talent.
Job Search RED FLAG #6 – Blow your own horn…a little too loud
Be modest. Don’t brag about your achievements, this will look aloof and obnoxious. Do NOT write the following type of statements: “ I am the best in my field”, “My achievements are unsurpassed”, “You need to hire someone like me or else your competition will! ”
Job Search RED FLAG #7 – Education…it’s on here somewhere
Don’t save the best for last. Most HR professionals want to see your education first, your functional and technical know-how second and thirdly your professional experience.
Job Search RED FLAG #8 – Attached file all jumbled
Imagine you e-mail your resume as an attachment, only when it gets to your intended recipient’s email it looks nothing like it did on your computer. This is a calamity of the Internet, and formatting gets messed up more then job seekers realize. Next time you’ve revised, proofread and are ready to send out your resume, test email it out to a few of your close associates. Then you can verify how it looks on their computer – if it looks the same – send away – if not, fix it! The safest format to save your resume is in Adobe PDF; most computers are able to read this file and when the file is opened it will appear just as it was sent.
I love the look and feel of this site. This post contains great reminders for job seekers. I would particularly like to comment on the following:
RED FLAG #6 – Blow your own horn…a little too loud – Really there is little that is more painful and bile evoking than reading a resume that sounds like a job seeker is “full of it”. Your resume is a marketing piece but it isn’t a snake oil ad so do stay away from patting yourself on the back with unsubstantiated info and opinions like “exceptional communications skills”… who says so, you? That doesn’t count. Recruiters and hiring managers want to see FACTS like “received a 5/5 in internal/external communications skills on annual performance review 3/3 years” – that’s not subjective it’s objective and it is VERY strong.
#7 – Education…it’s on here somewhere – I have somewhat of a different professional opinion here. If you have work experience I believe it should always go to the top. The fact you hold down a job shows me you understand responsibility, accountability, punctuality, workplace ethic and many other things. If you are a student and you work it shows me you have a lot of initiative and drive to work and study at the same time. Once you have been working a few years (unless you are an Ivy League type) your education was simply a door and becomes inferior to your work experience and professional achievements. In fact, no one ever cares about my education – they want to talk about what I have done professionally. My college education is highly irrelevant at this stage in my career and the truth is, it is completely outdated. I peddle to stay cutting edge and discuss continuing education, conferences and seminars at the interview. I also list recent ones on the bio of my website. I want someone searching me to find what I want them to find out about me.
Job seekers, good luck with your search!