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Are you having trouble landing a job? If the answer is yes, chances are your abilities aren’t the problem — your resume is. It probably contains unforgivable mistakes which turn your job applications into missed opportunities. To increase your chances of getting the job, your resume should be spot on and mistake-free. Here are 7 mistakes you should avoid when writing a resume.
Job-hopping
While your parents might think working for the same company for decades is a sign of loyalty, Millennials would strongly disagree. A recent survey has shown that almost 64% of them prefers job-hopping. It allows them to move from job to job until they find what they are looking for. However, job-hoppers raise red flags with employers. The employer questions the candidate’s ability to commit to their role in the organization. If you are a job-hopper, too, you can emphasize the accomplishments you achieved and the competence and knowledge you gained in every role instead of the time spent in that specific role.
Messy and Disorganized Format
Fashion designers like to say less is more. Believe it or not, the same rule applies to your resume and its format. Recruiters don’t have time to dwell upon your resume. That is why you should forget all about long blocks of text and random information. When the information is scattered all around the paper it overwhelms the reader. Keep it simple and brief. Use short and concise paragraphs as well as bullet points to organize all the information. When writing the resume, keep the recruiter in mind. That way, you will make it easier for them to skim through the resume and get a picture of your abilities and background. If you need an idea on how to keep the format of your resume clean and neat, you can always check out the examples on https://resume-example.com/.
Employment Gaps
If you have employment gaps in your resume, don’t panic. The important thing is to explain those gaps because if you don’t, the employer or the HR manager can only assume you struggled to land a job for various reasons. One of those reasons could be poor work performance which mightn’t have been your case. On the other hand, you might have taken parental leave or some time off to graduate finally. Whatever it was, make sure to list it in the resume. When you share the reasons openly, you dispel any doubts your future employer might have regarding your unemployment. If you don’t, you might be eliminated in the first round or even asked about the gaps during your interview.
Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation Errors
Most employers seek a candidate with a keen eye for details even if they don’t state it in the job ads. This quality will make you stand out from the rest of the candidates. Otherwise, spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors will make employers think you are lazy, careless, unbothered. What can they expect from a candidate in the future if their resume is full of such errors? If the candidate hasn’t taken the time nor the tools to proofread and double-check their resume, then how can they do their job right? Since your resume is your chance for a great first impression, don’t be lazy and edit the resume as many times as you need to bring it to perfection.
Missing Information
Apart from spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, what bothers employers the most is missing information. The very top of your resume must contain your contact information, such as your full name, address, email, and phone number. Sometimes, candidates decide to add a link to their website, portfolio, or LinkedIn profile, and that is acceptable. If something is missing from your resume’s heading, the employer will immediately notice it. That is why you should make sure none of the information is missing. Also, you shouldn’t add your photo if the employer doesn’t specify it nor the list of references. If the employer needs references, they will ask for them later in the hiring process.
Being Too Modest
When a recruiter looks at your resume, they focus on your potential to do the job. Many different factors show that potential such as your achievements. What have you accomplished in your previous roles? Increased profits, business and sales growth, expansion on other markets, etc., all serve to show how well you have put your knowledge and skills into practice and achieved outstanding business results. This is the moment for you to moderately boast about what you bring to the table as a potential future employee. Employers want to see results above anything else in your resume. Keeping them to yourself and being too modest won’t get you the job you are applying for.
Keeping it Too General
No two positions or companies are alike. For this reason, you should always adjust your resume for every position you apply for. This way, you will be making sure the resume aligns with the job and position you are applying for. Also, the resume should prove you are the right fit both for the job and the corporate culture. In most cases, a general resume template is a deal-breaker for most recruiters. It simply shows you haven’t put any effort into tailoring it to suit the job requirements. In the best-case scenario, the recruiter ignores your application altogether; worst-case scenario — they blacklist you. The choice is yours.
Landing a job is never easy, but it becomes impossible if you keep making the same mistakes in your resume. So when applying for the next job, keep in mind these 7 mistakes of resume writing, and your job application will be a successful one without a doubt.
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