Avoid These Top 10 Resume Errors to Stay Current

By Erin Kennedy

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Writing the perfect resume may seem difficult to accomplish with all of the tips and tricks you have heard about. There are certain items you may have included or left out that you may not even be aware of that are red flags for hiring managers and recruiters. When you go to all of the efforts, and sometimes expense, of crafting that executive resume, you don't want to omit information they are looking for. On the other hand, you don't want to include an item which may indicate you are out of touch with today's marketplace. Here are some tips for you to consider as you work on crafting that resume to get you hired.

Not Including Links to Social Media Accounts

Today employers are going to look for social proof rather than simply relying on your resume to tell them what they need to know. You should first clean up all your social media accounts. At a minimum, add a link to your LinkedIn profile. Not including your LinkedIn profile link at the top or bottom of your resume may indicate you're hiding something or don't want them to search for you online. Employers will try to find your LinkedIn profile anyway, so make it easier on them by providing the link. Then consider incorporating links to your other social media accounts, such as Twitter, Facebook, or other platforms if you use them to promote your personal brand or expertise, such as posting original articles.

Overusing Bullet Points

It may be tempting to list out every achievement, skill, and accomplishment you've earned over the years, but in reality, it's not very effective. Try not to put them in the form of too many bullet points. Having more than about five bullet points may indicate you're trying too hard to appear qualified for the job. It's best to narrow down your most relevant attributes to the job you're applying for and only include those.

Not Enough White Space

You want to try and keep your resume to no more than two pages, but you also shouldn't stuff as much text as possible into those two pages. The best executive resume format will leave a good amount of white space around the perimeter of the document and between each section of the resume. This makes the entire document look cleaner and it's much easier for the hiring manager to read.

Listing Political Affiliations

Many people have strong political affiliations, but your resume is not the place to list it. One of the only times you should consider listing your political ties is if it's relevant to the job you're applying for. Otherwise, it's generally a big risk to include it.

Typographical Errors or Inconsistencies

After you go to the time and expense of creating an executive resume, you need to take the time to proofread your resume thoroughly for typographical errors or inconsistencies. Don't rely on spell check offered by your software program, since it doesn't always catch everything. Once you believe you have everything in order, allow a friend or a resume expert to proofread and critique it as well so you don't miss anything. Hiring managers or recruiters may just toss your resume if they find them.

Not Clearly Demonstrating Your Personal Brand

When a recruiter or hiring manager reads your resume, they need to clearly see what your personal brand is. Older resumes are typically generic and lack any type of branding throughout the content. Conveying your personal brand can be as simple as explaining your expertise, your overall views on workplace culture, or what you believe in and stand for. Personal branding is not an optional component for resumes today.

Including an "Objective" Statement

If you want to indicate you are out of touch with today's market, include an "objective" statement on your resume. They are not used in resumes in the marketplace today, so make sure they are deleted from yours. By submitting your resume to an employer, you are implying your objective, which is to get a job. You don't need to reiterate it on your resume. Instead, use the space to show why you are the best candidate for the job. Hiring managers aren't necessarily interested in what you want, but rather, want to know what you can do for them.

Including Your Street Address

Putting your street address at the top of your resume was acceptable more than a decade ago, but not today. You only need to include a name, phone number, email address, and link to a LinkedIn profile or other social media accounts, especially if you are applying for a position in that industry. Anything more than that just clutters up the resume and is essentially useless to a hiring manager.

Not Showing Personality

As difficult as it may sound, the best resumes will demonstrate some of your personality without sacrificing professionalism or a formal tone. Showing personality is as simple as demonstrating your own personal brand. Providing a single brand statement at the top of your resume may be a good strategy to consider if it's strong enough. Otherwise, simply incorporating some of your voice into your writing throughout the resume can be just as impactful.

Not Flowing Naturally

Showing personality throughout your resume is helpful, but it is important for the resume to flow naturally throughout. You want the reader to easily go from one section to the next. Once you've taken care of the details and feel great about how your resume looks, have a trusted friend or professional take a look at it. Sometimes you may be showing too much personality without realizing it, which can make it seem informal. Having another set of expert eyes look will tie up any loose ends.

When it comes to writing an effective resume, there aren't any secrets to get the perfect resume that will get you hired. But it is important that your resume doesn't go out of style. It could show you're out of touch and hurt your job candidacy as a result. Crafting the perfect resume can be difficult with the technology employers use to filter out resumes, but having a modern one is a great first step.

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