I got my resume reviewed after my first year of college and to my amazement all she said was that she would change the format on how I list the dates of my jobs. That was her only feedback. I left with a little pep in my step, feeling pretty proud about my resume. Now it's a few years down the road and I look back at that resume and remember how awful it was! I can only hope that it was her first day on the job or that she didn't want to see the downhearted look on my face after she told me it was the worst resume she has ever seen. Either way, I've made some improvements and learned a few things along the way.
Look at your resume as a tool to market yourself. You're not only sending this out to potential employers but you're trying to make your resume rise to the top of the stack and let me tell you, the stack is very high.
Here are 8 resume mistakes that I've learned can decrease your chance at getting an interview.
8.) Lack of Structure
First and foremost your resume needs to have structure. It should have a flow to it. Remember, employers don't have time to read hundreds of resumes word for word. They're going to skim over it to pick out the major qualifications they're looking for (4 year degree, previous experience supervising, etc.) to weed out all the people who don't meet the requirements. If they can't easily find what they're looking for it's going to go in the trash. It should be easy to read top to bottom.
7.) Eliminate everything from high school
Sorry kids, but in college no one wants to hear about how you used to be the most popular kid at your school or that you were a dumb jock who played all 4 sports in high school. Think of college as a new start from the good and the bad. Leave it all in high school.
I'd say there's 1 exception to this rule: If you just moved to college and you don't have that much experience.
But don't list, "I was a letter winner in football, I did 4 years of track, I was in the Student Council." If you have to put something from high school it should be at the bottom of your resume under a heading "Leadership and Skills."
Like I said unless it's your freshmen year and you have little work experience... no one cares.
6.) Lying
This one sounds obvious but is it? If you haven't been told, a one-size fits all resume doesn't work anymore. A resume needs to be tailored to the job you're applying for. Let's be clear. That does not mean lying to get the job. Not only is it unethical, but employers are going to ask you about your jobs and if you can't answer the questions or perform the tasks you said you did at your previous job, employers will move on to the next one. Resumes can and should be tailored. If your applying for a marketing job, list the tasks and accomplishments related to marketing. It;s okay to have a few different resumes on hand.
5.) Using Different fonts (and Colors)
I reviewed a friends resume a couple weeks back who isn't a business major and they had different fonts for different headings and subheadings. This is confusing and makes it harder to read. Keep to one font. Simple. Instead of using different font's, use bold and italics. Bold your organizations you worked for and italicize the job title underneath the organization. This will make them stick out without making your resume hard to read.
4.) Keep it to One Page
My boss was looking to hire an extra staff member and he had me print off a couple potential employees resumes. When I printed the second resume, 3 sheets of paper came out of the printer and I silently scolded myself for being so wasteful. To my surprise that was one persons resume! They listed absolutely everything they had accomplished since they were in diapers. A/B Honor Roll, letter winner, clubs, girl scouts, you name it they had it listed. Do you honestly think someone is going to read all of that or care that you did tennis your freshmen year?
3.) Not a Clear Objective
Do you really need an objective? I've been told by some people that an objective is unnecessary and some have told me you should always have an objective. I believe it is essential! Look at an objective as another way to tell an employer that you are exactly what they are looking for. It's the first thing they're going to read so it needs to be strong.
Avoid being:
Too long
Too Vague
Too Detailed
"Seeking a Marketing Coordinator position with XYZ Company where I can use my skills and promotions and customer service."
2.) List Accomplishments not duties
Employers want to hear what you accomplish at your job instead of what your day to day tasks are.
This is simple. Use action words at the beginning of the bullet points. Here is a list of great action words to use:
~Action Words for Resumes~
Don't say, "I write our monthly newsletter."
Instead say, "Keep our members up-to-date on promotions and upcoming events with a monthly newsletter."
1.) Spelling
THIS WILL KILL YOU!
Most job descriptions say something along the lines of, "Must have great communication skills and proper grammar." If you're like me, you're TERRIBLE at spelling and find it easy to read over mistakes. There's probably multiple grammar mistakes in this post alone. Have someone proof read your resume and then have someone proof read it again. This can be time consuming but it can save your resume from being tossed in the trash
HAPPY JOB HUNTING!!
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