During our extensive experience working with corporations to small sized companies, we have documented the most common resume mistakes that could quickly get you in the “REJECT” pile. Please read these and avoid these simple resume blunders.
Typos and Grammatical Errors: Your resume needs to be grammatically perfect. Once an employer sees error on a resume they can quickly default to thinking, “This person didn’t care to proofread their resume, why should I waste my time?” Conclusions on resumes are made in an instant. Employers are just looking for screening mechanisms to reduce their resume pile. A Resume error is one simple method that will get your rejected.
Lack of Specifics: Here is simple rule of thumb. If you have a resume with bullets that only have 4-8 words, you are being way too generic. Employers want to see what specifically you did. They do not want to read a generic description of your job duties. They already used a job description to post for a job. They are looking for behaviors and actions you took that fit the profile.
Highlighting Duties Instead of Accomplishments: We all have done it at some point. We simply list our job duties on our resumes. This is clearly not going to get you noticed. Employers are looking for achievement/results based CV’s, Resumes, and Cover Letter. Ask yourself, “Why would I look at my resume”. You would want to see performance trends of accomplishments, leadership, initiative, and best practices. Focus on developing compelling achievement statements using action verbs. Quantify results, use $, # and % extensively to drive home your key achievements.
Developing One Resumes for all Employers: Employers can smell if you have really given time to customize your resume to their job opening or if this is your one resume fits all for many other jobs you are applying to. They expect you to clearly show how and why you fit the position in a specific organization.
Objective Statements: This is one most ineffectively used elements of a resume. Many objective statements are generic and say very little about your character, skills, and interests. Our stylistic approach at CareerSolutionsCenter.com is to use a Profile Summary and maybe even some key industry words.
Or view our full resume samples… http://www.careersolutionscenter.com/resume_sample.php
Sample 1
…Results-proven agent for positive change and corporate culture transformation; repeatedly successful turning around under-performing organizations into robust, growing, highly profitable entities. Creative strategist skilled in generating renewed energy and visionary direction to drive achievement of the highest-priority corporate objectives…
Sample 2
…Possess more than 16 years of experience in the highly regulated banking industry, including 10 years supporting legal compliance and regulatory initiatives. Expertise in identifying the root cause of various legal and operational issues and creating solutions that can be applied across the organization…
No Action Verbs or Resume Keywords: In an earlier post, we talked about turning your Resume on Fire with key words, industry buzzwords, and action verbs. If your resume contains all of the right keywords, then you will be among the first candidates whose resumes are reviewed. Check it full post here. http://www.careersolutionscenter.com/blog/?p=47
Resume Stretch & Fullness :
If your resumes full of text and little white space? Have you page formatted margins to get all your text into one page? Before sending your resume send it to variety of people you trust to edit and see if your resume is eye strain. Remember, you only have few seconds. And the last thing an employer wants is to read through a short story about what you’ve done in the first line item of your resume. Tightened it up be thorough, complete, and concise. Make it visually attractive. Research some unique formats online as well. http://www.careersolutionscenter.com/resume_sample.php
The best information i have found exactly here. Keep going Thank you
Thank you. I am pleased to read your article.
Thank you for useful information.
Very informative post. Thank you.