Your resume is your first impression with your employer and it ought to be a good one. Hiring officers and recruiters are trained to scan your resume for any red flags as may identify you as an unsuitable candidate for the position. In order to stand out among the pool of applicants, your resume must grab the attention of the reader and be customized to the position and company you are applying to. Throughout this post I have put together a list of common mistakes when writing your resume and changes you can make to avoid these unnecessary mistakes.
1. Poor Formatting
Your resume should flow and be as consistent as possible. Lack of clear and concise formatting may convey a lack of attention to detail and can look unprofessional. This is something to be avoided when applying to jobs, especially those requiring a necessary level of care and attention to detail. Moreover, lack of clear formatting may make it difficult to locate important information required for hiring. This means, it is important that the format be clear and concise.
How can you fix this?
- Use a template that is simple and clean.
- Divide your resumé into different sections such as, education, professional skills, volunteer experience, etc…
- Use the same format for all of your dates (Either May 2016-2018 or 05/2016-05/2018).
- Limit the amount of use of emphasizing features (bold, italics, underlining).
2. No Targeting
When it comes to resumes, the rule of one size fits all does not apply. Every job is different and requires various skills, qualifications and achievements. It is important that your resumé reflects the targeted information outlined in the job description. It is important to do your research and to tailor your resume to match the job. Get to know as much as possible about the company, their values and their mission. Then tailor your resume to reflect the skills, experience and qualities the company is seeking in an employee.
It is important that this information be conveyed as putting forward a general application may not convey to the hiring officer that you are a good candidate. Try to mirror the keywords found in the job description and include them in your resume. If your resume fails to convey such valuable information, you may be overlooked for the position.
How can you fix this?
- Keep one master copy of your resumé that you can tailor and tweak for every position you apply for.
- Utilize the information provided in the job description to identify what information is crucial to the position and which information must be highlighted.
- Make use of hard skills/soft skills keywords.
3. Unexplained Gaps in Employment
Employment gaps are common and are not deemed to be a red flag in and of itself. Life happens and people need to take career breaks to go back to school, travel or raise a family. However, if you have a substantial employment gap, you must be prepared to explain the reason to your employer.
How can you fix this?
- Have the reason prepared ahead of time so you will be to convey it in a positive and confident manner. While doing so, make sure to highlight what you learned during your time off or any transferable skills you have attained.
4. Length of Resume
When it comes to your resume, I have always been of the view that it is best to keep it under two pages in length. Should you choose a longer length, you may run the risk of giving the impression that you did not consider your target audience or the job description.
How can you fix this?
- Keep your resume current and update to date.
- Include any experience, qualifications or skills you deem to be relevant for the position.
5. Contextualization of skills and responsibilities
When listing your experience in your resume you want to include measurable achievements and accomplishments—meaning showing not only “what you have done” but “how you have done it” and “what the results were.” I suggest using accomplishments, measurable results and examples throughout your resume to prove your work.
How can you fix this?
- Outline various achievements, including facts and figures to prove contextualization, throughout your resume.
- Review previous performance reviews for indications of performance metrics deemed essential to include in your resume.
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