Pulling off a perfect resume or even a near perfect resume takes a lot of talent and expertise. It’s no mere task to write out a resume that ups the chances of being called for an interview. It is this intrinsic difficulty that makes it so easy for people to commit mistakes when preparing a resume. To eliminate the chances of committing resume related mistakes, it makes for good sense to work backwards and gain insight into the variants of common mistakes. Once familiarity is established with possible mistakes, it is essential for you to either rework your resume or build your resume from scratch to arrive at an ideal one. It may seem like a very laborious task, but remember your resume is that stepping stone to your success. Being frivolous when preparing your resume can only undermine your chances of getting placed. Read on to know more on common resume mistakes. Don’t just stop at reading on the common mistakes, take it to the next level by steering clear of the same.
Common Resume Mistakes
Superfluous Acronyms
This is arguably one of the most common mistakes found on resumes and is that much more common amongst people who have more than a few years of experience. Remember, that most employers are not and do not need to be familiar with each and every existing acronym. However, if at all you do feel the need to use an acronym, stick to using the most popular ones around or simply expand. For example, using ‘VP’ as a short form for ‘Vice President’ is acceptable, however using acronyms like ‘AID’ (Assistant Interior Designer) or ‘SCSE’ (Senior Client Servicing Executive) is not acceptable.
The Dreaded 1000-Page Resume
If you have applied for jobs in the past, you probably can relate to this mistake either by way of being guilty of committing the error or by way of knowing someone has done the same. It simply makes no sense to have a resume that can easily be mistaken for a novel! What most job seekers don’t realize is that employers simply do not have time to look at everything on a resume. When an employer sits down to hunt for talent, he/she will just not browse through two or three resumes. Literally, a hundred or more resumes will go past a talent-seeking employer. The resume that is the crispest (one or two pages) will almost always catch the eye of the employer. The perfect keywords plus perfect format sums up to the resume most likely to create a good impression on the employer.
Repetitiveness
No employer wants to read the same point phrased differently a hundred times. This is akin to the job seeker himself/herself killing his/her chances of getting the job. Unfortunately, however, people don’t realize their mistakes and inevitably end up committing them over and over again. To eliminate this error, look through your resume and if you think it is sounding repetitive with a particular sentence, simply get rid of it. There really are no two ways about it.
Font Overdose
Using only up to three fonts for a resume is generally considered the rule of thumb for a perfect resume. Unless you are a designer, you are not going to get away with sending out a resume with more than three fonts. At the end of the day, you want your resume to look more like a resume and less like an ad-copy. Opting for a font that is as professional as a font can get is your safest bet. Resorting to the contrary will only size down your chances of landing your dream job.
Saying No To Bullets
If you have ever thought that it is okay to have a resume that does not employ bullets, you have obviously thought wrong. Bulleting key points in your resume not only give your resume a certain sense of order but also make it easy for a potential employer to look through the same. Remember, when preparing a resume, it is extremely important to place yourself in the shoes of an employer.
College Accomplishments Overkill
If it has been more than two years since you passed out of college and your resume still has details on your accomplishments in college, your resume is just not going to do the job for you. While most people like to blow loud their own trumpets, it simply makes no sense to have a list of college accomplishments when applying for a professional job! Take off your college accomplishments from your resume if you think the same is justifiable.
Rarely Used Words And Long Sentences
Job seekers believe that using rare or unfamiliar words in their resume can heighten their chances of landing the job; however, the exact opposite is true. The same principle applies to the employment of long sentences. Remember, employers have a trained eye. They will only look for key content. Anything other than this will simply be ignored. However, if at all the employer notices that you have used big words and long sentences when you didn’t need to, he/she may simply treat your resume as trash! Here it is all about staying simple and sticking to highlighting key points.
Job seekers believe that using rare or unfamiliar words in their resume can heighten their chances of landing the job; however, the exact opposite is true. The same principle applies to the employment of long sentences. Remember, employers have a trained eye. They will only look for key content. Anything other than this will simply be ignored. However, if at all the employer notices that you have used big words and long sentences when you didn’t need to, he/she may simply treat your resume as trash! Here it is all about staying simple and sticking to highlighting key points.
