Tag Archives: mistake

Six Resume Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

SixResumeMistakes_June2014_webWith so many people vying for jobs, it shouldn’t be a surprise if you don’t get called for an interview or selected for the position by every employer who receives your resume. However, if you notice a trend of being rejected for positions that you were truly a good fit for, you need to ask yourself this question: “Is my resume effective?”

A resume serves one purpose – to help get you get an interview. If it’s not fulfilling that purpose, then it stinks. In a survey of hiring managers last year, CareerBuilder learned of some resumes that were obviously bad, including a resume written like a text, one consisting of a single sentence, another linking online video gaming to leadership experience, and a resume written in the Star Trek language of Klingon. Although your resume may not be like these extreme examples, it doesn’t mean you’re in the clear.
It can be difficult to critique your own work, and sometimes you just don’t know what employers want to see on your resume. So here are the most common resume mistakes that result in employers dismissing the applicant, according to CareerBuilder’s research.

Mistake #1: Typos
There is absolutely no reason for a resume to have grammar, spelling, or formatting mistakes. More than 50% of the hiring managers said that typos meant an automatic no.

Mistake #2: Too Generic
Nearly 40% of employers said they tossed resumes that weren’t personalized for that specific position.

Mistake #3: Lack of Skills
It’s not that the applicants weren’t skilled; those skills just weren’t listed in the resume, which meant 35% of the employers dismissed them right away.

Mistake #4: No Originality
Resumes that reflect the skills and experiences listed in the job posting are good. However, resumes that match the job listing word-for-word aren’t recommended. One out of three hiring managers cited it as a reason to reject candidates.

Mistake #5: Unprofessional Email
Employers expect a certain level of professionalism from their employees, and when the email address listed on the resume is unprofessional, 31% said no thank you.

Mistake #6: Missing Dates
More than a quarter of the managers dismissed candidates who failed to specify exact dates of employment within their resumes.

It’s easy to assume that resumes really aren’t that big of a deal anymore. But as Matt Tarpey, a career adviser with CareerBuilder, told Forbes, “Even as technology has advanced and changed the way job seekers find open positions, the resume remains an integral part of the hiring process.” If your resume contains any of these mistakes, it may be holding you back from the position and career you want. Make the effort to learn how to improve your resume, and then take the time to shape it up. It will give you a greater chance for potential employers to call you in for an interview.

Has your resume kept you from getting interviews? What have you done to help make your resume stand out among the rest? Let us know in the comments section below!

Written by Ashlie Turley

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