Common Resume Mistakes

Misspellings, typing and grammatical errors.
Always have several people proofread your resume. You cannot count on the spell-checking or grammar-checking functions of your word processing system alone. Remember that a single error can land your resume in the reject pile.

Using pronouns and articles.
Resumes should always be written in the third person without the use of I or me. A resume should also be concise with minimal use of articles such as the, a, or an. Instead of writing “I was responsible for managing a 12-person production department where the result was a more streamlined operations unit,” write “Managed 12-person production department, which resulted in 26% increase in productivity.”

Omitting keywords.
Given the number of companies that are storing the resumes received electronically, simply including the proper keywords may be enough to get your resume pulled for review. Keywords are mostly nouns that describe what you do, your experience, your skills and abilities, and the processes and software in which you are knowledgeable. You can determine appropriate keywords by reading job descriptions for the type of job you are seeking and including keywords in your resume, either interspersed throughout the resume or listed in a separate Skills section.

Overusing bold, italic or underline text formatting.
Drawing attention to everything is the same as drawing attention to nothing. Use highlighting such as bold, italics, and underline sparingly for maximum effect on specific areas you want to draw attention to and be consistent in your highlighting technique.

Including too much or irrelevant information.
A resume should only include information that will help convince an employer to interview you. Descriptions of relevant skills and accomplishments should be concise and to the point. Including irrelevant experience and lengthy descriptions will bury important information. Only include personal information where it demonstrates an important personal quality or qualification. A resume should represent what you can do on the job, not what you do in your personal life.

Including Negative information.
Never include any negative information about yourself or anyone else. Your resume should only make positive statements about you, your qualifications and should never imply anything negative about former employers.

Missing an opening statement at the top of the resume.
If you are a recent graduate or have limited experience in your career, you should include a Job Objective statement at the top of your resume, which will help focus the reader’s attention and describe what type of position you are looking for. If you have experience in your career field, you want a powerful Summary statement that illustrates your best qualifications for the position at the top of the resume. A well-crafted opening statement should convince an employer to keep reading.

Using Clichés.
Avoid using adjective clichés like “self-motivated” or “dynamic.” Instead, demonstrate these qualities through powerful and measurable Action-Benefit statements in your Skills, Capabilities, Accomplishments and/or Experience sections.

Using a lengthy list of job responsibilities.
The best resumes describe the experience using Action-Benefit statements, which describe an action you took in response to a challenge or opportunity, and explain how your action had a positive benefit for your company. This method brings your experience statements to life and demonstrates how you can achieve success and produce results.

Repeating the same Action Words.
Never use the same action word repeatedly. Instead of using a word like directed over and over, use synonyms such as controlled, supervised, guided, or managed. Use a thesaurus to help you select appropriate action words.

Using a chronological resume when a functional resume was needed.
If you are looking for a job for which you have relevant experience and a consistent work record, then the chronological resume is probably your best choice. If you are seeking a job for which you have no recent experience, a functional resume might be better. A functional resume allows you to de-emphasize your work history, recent jobs, and any gaps in employment. It also enables you to list your relevant skills and experience at the top of your resume where a potential employer will notice it first.

Describing the reason you left your former job.
If discussed at all, discuss your reasons for leaving previous employers at your interview, and always put your departure in a positive light. Rather than focus employers on the negative aspects of your former job, discuss the exciting opportunities you see in your new job or career.

To avoid resume mistakes and to make your resumes preparation task easier you may take a look at keywords and phrases, resume samples and resume templates.

Check what to leave out of your resume.

Avoid resume mistakes by checking the spelling and grammar of your resume. Use the word processor’s spell and grammar checker. If you are not confident of your ability to detect grammatical, punctuation and usage errors in English or other language or if you need help in organizing your resume, bring it to a professional for assistance.

Remember that your CV/resume must be targeted, scannable and generate hits. If you have difficulty with your CV writing or resume writing instead of staring at a blank piece of paper, use CV samples and CV templates, resume samples and resume templates.

Most recruiters expect to receive a cover letter together with your CV or resume. So, prepare a cover letter convincing the reader why you are the best candidate for the interview using cover letter writing tips.

Other Resume Mistakes Info

Now to finalize your resume mistakes topic, if your cover letter and resume are ready, you may email them through an international job search to job recruiters and headhunters worldwide.

Start preparing for job interviews and check the job interview tips dos and don’ts. Also, find out why people are not hired for available jobs.

In addition, on job search, visas, work permits, cover letters, CV & resume, job interview and dress codes pages, you will find very useful tips for many different countries.

Good luck with your resume mistakes!