Resume Killers
My philosophy is simple: Stick to the facts. If in doubt, leave it
out!
" Abbreviations
Avoid abbreviations! They are unprofessional and not universally accepted.
Trust me; nothing looks worse on a resume than seeing sentences resembling
the following: "duties included answering the fone and going
2 c clients." This is a resume, not a text message. Make sure
you use correct words and proper sentences.
" Personal Information
Leave off anything related to hobbies or personal interests. If it
doesn't relate to employment it doesn't belong on a resume. Information
such as weight and height is irrelevant (unless of course you're trying
out for basketball team). I have seen resumes where people include
their eye colour and comments about their skin ("glowing skin").
Do not give the reader a reason to eliminate you because of your personal
characteristics. Again, stick to the formula - if it does not relate
to the job it doesn't belong on the resume.
" Graphics / Artwork
People feel that in order to be noticed they need their resume to
look like a piece of artwork. This perception is wrong and has the
opposite effect of appearing unprofessional and amateur. At the end
of the day, the employer only wants to see skills, duties, and achievements.
He or she is not interested because your resume is shaded yellow with
a butterfly in the top right-hand corner.
" Negativity
Never, never, never be negative on your resume or cover letter (and
most importantly, in your interview). If you left your previous job
because you hated your boss, keep it to yourself. Do not try to explain
this on your resume because you cannot explain those reasons in writing.
Remember, a resume's job is to promote and sell. Do not get eliminated
immediately for being negative.
" No Dates
DO NOT MAKE THE READER HAVE TO GUESS! This is such a killer on any
resume. INCLUDE DATES. What years did you go to high school? How long
did you go to university? When did you graduate? How long did you
work at your current job?
Do not make the person reading your resume have to ask these questions.
The minute this happens, your resume is going to one place-the trash
bin! Make sure your resume flows and you have no gaps in your dates.
If you took a year off to go travelling, include this. When you include
dates DO NOT just include years. For example, "I worked at McDonalds
from 2006-2008"- what does this mean? Did you work for 3 from
January 2006 to December 2008, or for a little over 1 year from December
2006 to January 2008.
" Long-winded
Long long long long long resumes are boring!!!! If an employer sees
an extremely long resume, they will immediately develop a negative
frame of mind. Remember, resume readers tend to have little patience,
especially when they need to read 100 resumes. You do not gain extra
brownie points for writing the longest resume-enough said!
" Lack of achievements / highlights
I never understand how people get this wrong, but so many times people
fill up their resumes with irrelevant information, and they leave
off the most vital part of a resume-showing off your highlights and
achievements. Think about it-most people who apply for the same job
can all do the standard day to day duties. So what separates the good
resume from the bad resume? It's the one that includes achievements
and highlights. It includes how they were an asset at their previous
job. Employers want to see not that you just worked and did a good
job, but that you added value to the company. Leaving off your achievements
is the best way to get your resume tossed in the bin. Alternatively,
including value-added achievements is the best way to get your resume
put on the top of the list.
" Irrelevant information
Everyone is proud of achievements they have accomplished throughout
their life. Finishing second place in the 100 metre sprint final in
my first year of high school was a great thrill, but is it relevant
on my resume? Does it add value to it? Use common sense when including
"extra information." Receiving your CPR certificate is relevant
when you're applying for a job that requires this, such as a lifesaver
or swimming instructor. It isn't so relevant if you received your
CPR certificate 10 years ago, and now you're going for a job as a
CEO.
" Grammar mistakes and typos
People read this point and think, "Obviously my resume isn't
going to have spelling mistakes and typos." I can tell you from
experience that 1 in 5 resumes will make this vital mistake. When
an employer has 100 resumes, the first 20 are eliminated because of
grammar mistakes or typos. These mistakes are glaringly obvious on
a resume. Make sure you use spell-check, but more importantly, re-read
your resume. Even give it to someone else to read over.
" Trying to sound "Too Clever"
You may think that using words such as "meticulous," "scrupulous"
or "industrious" to describe yourself may make you sound
smart, unfortunately they can have the opposite effect. Your resume
is a representation of you. Don't forget this!
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