Have you been sending your resume but not getting interviews? Chances are—it isn’t you. It’s your resume. See if you’re making any of these resume mistakes: Related: The Top 3 Resume Improvements Everyone Needs Now
Mistake #1 – Too Long
Unless you are a C-Level executive or have lots of publications, your resume should be no longer than two pages. If you have more than 20 years of experience, you still have to cut it down to two pages or less. With the editing that requires, you’ll end up with only the best of the best accomplishments on your resume—and that’s always a good thing.Mistake #2 – Too Hard To Read
The best thing you can do for your resume is to make it easy to read. I know there’s a lot you want to put in your resume, but a busy hiring manager will get lost in wordy, dense paragraphs and probably skip over and miss things you need them to know. Make sure your resume utilizes the power of white space and use bullet points to highlight your accomplishments.Mistake #3 – Missing A Quality Objective Statement
The key to a good objective statement is to keep in mind what THEY NEED more than what YOU WANT. Tailor your objective statement to the job opportunity so that you can highlight what you can bring to that particular organization. If there's not a specific job, broaden your statement but still make sure it sells you.Mistake #4 – Listing References Or ‘References Upon Request’
Companies know you will furnish them references if asked. Don’t waste your precious resume real estate with references. Use it to show what you’ve accomplished.Mistake #5 – No Outside Of The Box Thinking
‘Outside of the box’ doesn’t mean colored paper or fancy fonts. It means that if you don’t quite have the experience you need, consider other options. Try a job shadowing experience and put that on your resume for keywords that matter for your new career. Employers will be impressed at your initiative. I’ve seen some impressive resumes with quotes that sum up their attitudes, determination, and so on, and I’ve seen some resumes with lists of what they’ve read (that pertains to the job).Mistake #6 – No Numbers, Dollars, Or Percentages
As much as possible, quantify your accomplishments. This means to add numbers, dollars, or percentages to them. For example, which do you think is more impressive? "Responsible for delivering product on time and under budget" vs. ""98% on-time delivery of product" "Responsible for bringing in new clients" vs. "Brought in 20 new clients in 3 months" Numbers provide evidence that attracts the interest of hiring managers.Mistake #7 – Constant Tweaking (Instead Of Sending)
Will your resume be good enough to get you the interview? It’s the biggest resume worry of every job seeker. Don’t let the worry cause you to keep procrastinating about sending it. If it doesn’t get there, it definitely won’t get you the interview. Find the best help, create the best resume you can, and let it go. Find out what you’re doing right and wrong in your job search with a Personal Job Search Evaluation!Related Posts
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