Unfortunately, there are a lot of applicants out there who are severely harming their chances of finding great jobs because they’re submitting resumes that don’t highlight the right skills. Therefore, it is easy for employers to put those resumes in the Discard pile.
If you want to clean up your resume and have a better shot at the job you want, here are five resume mistakes to avoid:
1. A resume that reads like a series of job descriptions.
When using bullet points to describe what you’ve done at each job, make sure to convey what kind of employee you were; don’t just provide a list of activities. Your resume should let the recruiter see how you excelled in your previous work.
Talk about your achievements, what you have accomplished, and the end results. Just what made you shine in your previous jobs? Highlight your skills properly. Stay away from the urge to include info that reads like a series of job descriptions.
2. Leading with your education even if it’s been years since you graduated from college.
If you’re not entirely new to the work force, focus on your work history and save your education for the end. If you’re a new graduate, lead with relevant work experience if you can. Recruiters pay more attention to work history and accomplishments.
3. Giving a long list of core competencies.
Choose to list relevant skills in your resume that are truly distinguishing. Demonstrate how you’ve used your talents and skills with bullet points and explain how you’ve done at each job. You can ditch the “Core Competencies” header and replace it with “Skills” instead.
4. Writing a lot before adding your work experience.
Your focus needs to be on highlighting your work history. Don’t include extra information that pushes the work history section down to the bottom of the first page (or to the second). If you want to grab the attention of the recruiter, feature your work history prominently on the first page.
5. Mentioning every job you’ve had even if it’s irrelevant to what you do now.
You shouldn’t provide a comprehensive audit of every job you’ve had, especially if the work is irrelevant to what you do today. Present yourself in the best light by focusing on your past work during the last 10 to 15 years — work that closely relates to what you’re applying for.
These tips should help you avoid the most common resume mistakes and increase your chances of finding the job you’ve always longed for.
