Career Helper

Guest Post: Top 10 Resume Mistakes

2010-01-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

Here are the top 10 most common resume mistakes - and how to avoid them.

1. Using One Resume for All Applications

You have to tailor your resume to fit every job application - there is no "One Resume Fits All" format. Recruiters use a resume as a tool to shorten the list of potential interview candidates. Make sure your resume speaks directly to the job you're applying for.

If you were applying to a nursing home, and you had to choose between including your volunteer history at a hospital, or your time as a member of your local photography club, which would you include? Probably your time at the hospital. First, include everything that fits with your desired job - then, and only then include everything else if there's enough space.

2. Incorrect Resume Length

This will depend on the type of job you're looking for. Many jobs - specifically ones in finance or very fast-paced businesses prefer that a resume be one page at most. This does not mean three quarters of a page, or one and a bit - one exactly.

Resumes for government positions, or other businesses such at marketing usually allow for longer resumes; about two to three pages. Research the industry, and keep it within that length.

3. Not Clearly Focused

Employers are very busy people - they usually only give your resume between 2 and 20 seconds to make an impression, and then it's either the trash, or you've got yourself an interview.

Including an objective statement is a great way to make your intentions known. Be sure that your application package (resume and cover letter) clearly indicate the type of work you are looking for.

4. Spelling Mistakes

Speling mistakes do not look profesional. See? You would be surprised how many resumes have spelling and grammatical errors. Proof-read your resume, and have someone else look at it to be sure. Even just one mistake is enough reason for an employer to throw your resume in the trash.

5. Lack of Action Words

Make sure that you include 'action words' in your resume. These will help create energy and they're what employers are looking for. They signal specific actions and skills, which are often sought after by companies.

Use words like "Achieved" or "Optimized" or "Supervised" where appropriate, but be careful not to overuse.

6. Irrelevant Information

Information such as your age, race, gender, nationality (sometimes), marital status, other personal information are not needed on a resume. Unless they are relevant to your job (in which case it will be made known to you before you apply), irrelevant information should be left off your resume. It also reduces the number of reasons to not offer you an interview.

7. Not Enough Self-Promotion

Go ahead! Talk about your achievements! That's what a resume is for. Don't be humble - if you were in charge of something that became a success, be sure to mention it in your resume.

Employers want to see what you achieved in your positions; they don't want a job description. Instead of saying "Stacked boxes in storage facility" you could write "Improved inventory management, leading to 12% increase in turnaround time."

Be sure to not stretch the truth - or lie. If caught, this could be detrimental to your career.

8. Incorrect Formatting

Make sure your resume looks nice. You can use a resume template if you like, but you may want to personalize it a bit. (Just don't overdo it.)

It's up to you what you want to put first, but be consistent; if you're doing it chronologically, make sure everything on the resume is chronological. Be sure to use bullet points instead of paragraphs, and don't forget to include your name and contact information at or near the top.

Unless you're applying to a creative job (marketing, hair stylist, etc.) keep the resume in black and white.

9. Does Not Highlight Your Skills

Somewhere in the resume you should specifically point out your skills if your education or work experience hasn't already done this for you. It could be a separate section, or part of your education section, but make sure it's there.

10. References Included in Resume

You only need referenced if your employer requests it. Don't list them on your resume. Even the phrase "Referenced available upon request." can be left off, because it's assumed you will be able to provide references.

Remember not to make these 10 mistakes, and your resume will be on track to getting you an interview!

Kieran Scott

Business Careers Guide

Career Motivation

2009-12-26T21:09:00.000-08:00

Here's some motivation for turning your career around.

A year ago, Jane Morrisey was unemployed. Read about how she turned her life around. Just goes to show that a little perseverance pays off!

Token

2009-11-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

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This is a technorati claim token!

Land Your Dream Job!

2009-11-15T10:05:00.000-08:00

Looking to maximize your career? Displaced? Outplaced? Downsized? Bored? Starting out and not sure where to go? The Business Careers Guide shows you how to find and land your dream job. This comprehensive career guide shares secrets, tips, and branding and positioning tools taken from leading career coaches combined two decades spent helping students, professionals, and other job-seekers find their dream jobs. With a lot of practical tools and not too much theory, this guide can be read as few as one sitting.

The ability to use strategic marketing and positioning tools in your resume, cover letter and interviews to leverage your experience and other assets is hard to do but essential for finding your dream job. The Business Careers Guide provides job seekers with the skills they need to beat the competition, including:

A detailed method for creating the perfect resume
Tools to help you create your competitive advantage
An action plan for getting the an interview with the right employer

Written for people with little time who need to make a big change, this guide provides techniques for creating a powerful, attention-grabbing resume, putting together a successful job search, and making sure that employers want you. The Business Careers Guide takes you through all the steps in the process, from the beginning, until you land the job. This guide demonstrates new ways to use the traditional resume and cover letter combination to increase job search effectiveness and efficiency, and how to land the job in the interview once you get it.

Everyone should love what they do for a living—and if they don't they should make a change. This practical, prescriptive guide shows you how to find a job that will be rewarding. The Business Careers Guide covers all the job search essentials in one volume that's perfect for the busy lifestyle and time pressure that job seekers face each day. Follow this fast-track curriculum to find your dream job in record time.

For only $49, The Business Careers Guide definitely gives you value!

Searching for a Job

2009-11-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

CBS has a great video with some job searching tips:

Resume Improvement Tips

2009-11-13T10:29:00.000-08:00

CBS has another video with some tips on how to spruce up your resume:

Job Seeking Tips

2008-11-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

CBS has a video with a number of great job-hunting tips:

Action Words

2008-11-10T11:45:00.000-08:00

Action words are a must in cover letters and resumes. Here is a list of action words you might want to consider using in your resume and cover letter.

achieved
acquired
adapted
addressed
administered
analyzed
anticipated
assembled
assisted
audited
budgeted
calculated
centralized
changed
collaborated
composed
condensed
conducted
constructed
contracted
converted
coordinated
created
cultivated
demonstrated
designed
developed
devised
discovered
doubled

drafted
edited
eliminated
enforced
established
evaluated
expanded
explained
forecasted
formed
founded
generated
guided
hired
implemented
improved
informed
insured
interpreted
interviewed
launched
maintained
managed
marketed
minimized
motivated
negotiated
obtained
operated
organized

originated
oversaw
performed
planned
prevented
produced
programmed
promoted
provided
publicized
published
recruited
reorganized
reported
researched
resolved
reviewed
selected
separated
set up
simplified
solved
surveyed
staffed
supervise
taught
tested
trained
used

Resume Basics - Putting it Together

2008-11-09T19:48:00.000-08:00

Contact Information

What's the most important piece of information on your resume? Is it the degree you hold? Is it the last job you had? Is it all the great references you've included?

No. It's your contact information. Your name and how to reach you is the most important information on your resume. You could be the greatest candidate ever, but without a way to get a hold of you, you'll never hear from employers.

Not that hard is it? You already have the most important piece of information on your resume!

Objective Statement

Now that you have the most important information on your resume, you can include an objective statement. This is optional, but it's a great way to tell prospective employers the type of work you're looking for.

How do you know if you need one? Take a look at your employment history. Imagine you were looking at someone else's resume; what type of career path would you say they're on? Is this the one you want to be on? If it is, you might not need one. But, if you're looking for a new type of job or career, you might want to think about including an objective statement.

For example, if the past three jobs you've had have been a sales manager, and you want to get a new job as a sales manager, you probably don't need an objective statement. If you're looking to become a chef, you will probably want to include it!

Objective statements are most useful when:
When you're submitting a resume for a specific position
When you're changing career paths
You're a recent graduate without much or any experience
Any time that the career history alone doesn't convey a 'fit' to the career you're looking for

When writing your resume, there is one person you should always keep in mind - the reader. You want to make this easy on the reader. Don't write a vague objective statement, or one that tells the reader what you want. The reader really doesn't care what you want - tell them what you can offer them.
Professional Summary, Profile, Qualifications or Synopsis

A summary isn't just a list of thing you've done; it's a list of things you know you can do, and skills you've acquired. These are the things you can offer a company. For example:

Senior Sales Manager offering # years of experience in ___________
Outstanding ______________, ______________, and _______________ skills...
Proven record of improving/increasing/strengthening...
Proficient in computer analytics...

All that experience you've had, all the skills you've learned, all the techniques you've acquired - you know this, and that is what you put in this section.

For example, if a job ad says that "communication skills" are important for the position, you had better make sure that "communication skills" are in your summary section as one of the skills you have. You can take this one step further and let your reader know how these communication skills can benefit the employer: "create motivated and productive teams, build long-term client trust, facilitate communications..."

The description of the job is very important. You need to tailor your resume to each job. If you don't know what the description is - find out. Call the company, or go to their website, and ask!

Employment History / Career Background

One of the biggest mistakes job-hunters make when writing a resume is telling a story. I don't mean writing fiction, but writing their history as if it were a conversation. Using lots of 'I' statements and 'In charge of' statements. The resume ends up reading like a boring list rather than a professional presentation.

If you had to bring your work history down to its most basic form it would be:

Problem --> Solution --> Results.

Every job has a problem that needs solving - that's why you got hired in the first place! You have to convey the steps to took to address the problem, the solution you devised, and the results of the solution. You may also want to include any follow-up actions taken.

Take out the 'I' statements and start each responsibility statement with a strong action word that best describes your role. Put some extra action words in to spruce up your resume a little.

Each job is important, and each person who holds that position provides value.

You have to first understand the value that you provide to a company - at any level - and then appreciate the results of this contribution. Once you do that, get it down on paper.

Education

If your education is the most important aspect of your career history, or the only part of your career history (e.g. you are a recent graduate) then list it first. If you have already held positions related to your career, or have much more experience, or do not have an education, list it after relevant work experience.

While your education is extremely important, and should definitely be highlighted, most employers will be far more interested in what relevant positions you have held than what your degree was in, or what your GPA was.

If you feel that your education is something that would make you really stand out, list it twice; once in the summary, and once again in the education section.

Educational achievements should be formatted to complement the rest of your resume's layout. Use the same format for your education section that you did for your work history section.

Include your GPA, if high, and if you want, include a list of courses that you took that are relevant to your career. If you have completed a portion of a degree or education, note this on your resume.

Other Information of Interest

Do list any associations or relevant organizations that you're a member of. If you aren't part of any associations related to your industry, it may worth joining. This is a great way to network with other professionals and leaders in your industry.

Do list hobbies and outside activities only if they are relevant to the position and company being targeted.

Do list all volunteer work that is directly relevant to the position or company being targeted, the same way you would list any other work on your document

Do Not list personal information, such as marital status, health, height, weight, number of children, gender, marital status, age, race or religion

Do Not attach a picture of yourself to your resume, unless you are in the modelling, or entertainment industries.

Resume Basics - Format

2008-11-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

Length: Either 1 or 2 full pages - avoid half pages
At least 0.75 inch margins on all sides
Clean, clear, easy to read
Enough white space to reduce clutter
Section headings stand out
Avoid "widows and orphans" - lines with only a few characters on them, or paragraphs/descriptions that break across pages leaving a heading or a single line all by itself. If you can't shorten it onto the previous line, use the space for more detail
Choose a 10-12 point font – stay consistent
Use good quality paper, letter quality printing
Have an appropriate use of bullets, bold, italics, spacing, indents, margins, and tabs to create visual impact and make it easy to find and extract key information
Keep consistent format within sections; make sure everything lines up