Every week, I do a free resume review – first come, first served. I’ve reviewed a lot of resumes in my time, and I often encounter some of the same mistakes.
How does your resume look? These mistakes are easy to fix, but recognizing that you have a problem is the first step to a solution.
- Does your resume say: “References available upon request?” There’s no need to include this line on your resume. Most employers will assume that you can provide a list of references if needed; you don’t need to take up valuable space on your resume to spell it out for them. (Some people go even further and make this a whole separate section, taking up even more space – “References” as a sub-header, followed by “Available upon request” in smaller font below.) Another reason not to mention references on your resume is that it’s not the right time in the process. Usually, employers won’t ask you for references until they’ve interviewed you – and the resume is what you use to get the interview.
- Is your resume too long? Most people’s resumes should only be one page – maximum. I once talked with a high-ranking HR recruiter at a Fortune 500 company who said that 2 pages is OK if you’re “mid-career” (i.e., out of college for 10 years) but anything beyond two pages is too long. I know it can be tempting to cram in every last detail of your career achievements, especially if you’ve had a stellar career and you have a lot to be proud of – but keep in mind that your resume doesn’t have to tell your whole story; it just has to get your foot in the door. Use the resume as a gateway to an interview – it’s a “sales sheet” about you. Once you get the interview, you can regale your prospective employer with all the details about the many great things you’ve done in your career.
- Does your resume contain typos? Not to put too much pressure on you, but your resume needs to be flawless. Perfect. Free of errors. Any spelling mistake, stray comma, or incorrect usage of an apostrophe can make you look bad in the eyes of an employer – and overworked HR recruiters, scanning through piles of resumes, are looking for any excuse to cull your resume into the “reject” pile. Before you press “Send” on that job application, ask a friend (preferably one with a keen attention to detail) to look at your resume with fresh eyes.
- Does your resume just list your job duties? It’s good to give a prospective employer some sense of the kind of work you know how to do, especially if you’re in a technical field that requires knowledge of specific processes, programming languages, or certifications. But your resume needs to go further than just listing your daily activities on the job; you need to describe your key accomplishments – not the “what” and “how,” but the “wow!”
- Does your resume not include any numbers? Whenever possible, look for ways to quantify your past achievements. Did you lower costs by 5%? Did you improve efficiencies by 8% annually? Did you manage a team? If so, how many people? How many people did you hire, retain or promote? Did you keep a key client or renegotiate a key contract with a supplier? If so, what was the impact to the company’s bottom line?
If you can avoid some of these key mistakes, your resume will be more likely to get you in the door for a job interview.
Ben Gran is a freelance writer based in Des Moines, Iowa. He is an award-winning blogger who loves to write about careers and the future of work.
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