Since it’s almost Halloween, I thought it would be important to remind you how these little resume mistakes can haunt you on your job search. You obviously don’t want to scare those looking at your resume! So, make sure to avoid these 10 resume mistakes to ensure you get that call for a job interview.
Misspelling and grammar issues
Something that will get your resume thrown out quickly is blatant spelling or grammar issues. To avoid this, make sure you’re checking everything before you submit it. Because the last thing you want is for a potential employer to see you spelled your title and think, “this person is not the brightest.” When in reality it was just a simple mistake…
Visually distracting
If your resume is full of colors, different fonts, or distracting images will most likely hurt your odds of landing an interview. Hiring managers and HR just want to see that you have the experience and knowledge needed to fill their positions. Distracting them with too much going on will make them want to pass on you even if you’re qualified for that position.
References on resume
Please don’t put your references on your resume. Removing your references will keep yourself safe from potential employers interested in you, calling references before they call you. And let’s be honest, you don’t want a prospective employer to put your current position at risk by letting them know you’re searching for other opportunities!
Limiting your resume to one page
This myth is one you probably hear often. But the truth is, if you have more relevant experience than that, include it! No one will be upset to see the great experience you’ve gained over the years. By leaving valuable skills and work experiences off your resume just to keep it under one page, you’re doing yourself a disfavor.
Wrong contact information
Be sure to list your most current phone number and email address on your resume. You don’t want to miss out on great opportunities because a company can’t get in contact with you! You’d be surprised by how many people miss out on great opportunities just because their contact information was incorrect.
Putting your address on it
No one will be mailing you anything before you’re offered a job. And you don’t want to be kicked out of the running for a great position, just because you are not a local candidate. You want the chance to show them you have the skills they are looking for. So taking off your address will help you to accomplish that.
Not putting most relevant experience first
On your resume, you want to ensure you are adding experience that matters. But you also want to ensure that you place your current position first and go in chronological order from there. This way, no one is confused about where you’re working now and when you worked somewhere else.
Lying
This should be a no-brainer. If on a job listing, they say you need to know or have experiences in certain things, like software or tools, don’t lie about it. They will know if you don’t and this will be the quickest way for you to get fired.
And sometimes, companies are still willing to hire someone who doesn’t know how to use a certain software or tools because it can be taught to them. So before you lie about knowing how to do it, give yourself the chance of them wanting to hire you and have you learn those skills.
Not customizing your resume
This can hurt you in more ways than one. With every job you hold, there are different skills you gain. And highlighting the ones that pertain to the specific job you’re applying for, will help you showcase those important skills needed.
Using wrong or no keywords
Keywords are essential to getting through the ATS (Auto Tracking System) that almost every employer uses to filter and store resumes. If you don’t use any keywords, you will be left wondering why you never heard back from jobs you’re qualified for. And it will be because your resume never got to their desk in the first place.
Not reviewing it
You must always review your resume! A good way to do this is to print it out and read it out loud. This will allow you to see exactly how it looks and typically makes mistakes more apparent. Another great idea is to have someone else you trust look over your work. It will only help you have the perfect resume.
All of these resume mistakes could really affect your chances of getting that new job you’re hoping for. So instead of haunting yourself with them, avoid them and make your resume great!
