Do You Make These 10 Resume Mistakes?
By Resume Rejuvenator Letetia Evans
There it is! The P-E-R-F-E-C-T job for you has just been posted to your favorite job board. This super-fabulous company, with your super-fabulous job is hiring right away. THIS IS IT!
You meet all of the qualifications. CHECK. You have valuable experience. CHECK. Your interview skills are top-notch. CHECK.
Click, click, click and your resume is on its way. You close your laptop with a snap and decide to go reward yourself with a new suit and a latte to enjoy the rest of your afternoon.
And then your preverbal bubble is burst with a POP!
It’s been weeks since you sent in your resume to that super-fabulous-now-stubborn-job that was a P-E-R-F-E-C-T match and no phone calls, no emails, no interview. NOTHING.
To make matters worse, the position is STILL POSTED online. “What is going on?” you asked.
“If only they would meet me they would see why I am P-E-R-F-E-C-T for this position.”
Well, to be P-E-R-F-E-C-T-L-Y honest with you, they HAVE already met you. And your first impression was not a good one. Ouch!
What? When? How? Your RESUME.
This is an all too familiar scenario job-seekers find themselves in when they meet all of the requirements, skills and experience of a job listing but their phones remain silent.
Make sure your first impression does not contain one of these 10 basic resume mistakes:
1. Too Long – Resumes should be 1-2 pages MAXIMUM. If your chronological resume exceeds 2 pages, consider a functional or custom format.
2. Too Short – Anything less than a page is a PROBLEM. Spend time learning how to translate soft skills and non-work activities to valuable assets.
3. Small Font – You want hiring managers to READ your resume. 11-12pt font is ideal.
4. Large Font – Using a font larger than 13pt is awkward. This is not elementary school.
5. Fancy Font – Professional font types include Calibri, Ariel, Times New Roman, Garamond and a few others NOT Brush Script
6. Poor Paper Quality – IF you are required to provide a hard-copy of your resume, using dingy white/gray paper gives new meaning to the phrase “paper-thin” and makes you appear of poor quality too. Invest in a ream of quality, professional paper that is a 24-32lb weight.
7. Distorted Formatting – Not all file types translate well in emails or online application tools. Ensure your resume is submitted in a uniformly accepted document type. If able, send both an MS Word and PDF document.
8. Your Name– The hiring manager should read your name at the top of your resume. Your FULL NAME. Even if you utilize a custom resume format, your name should be the very first line. Include only your name at the top of page 2 as well.
9. Phone Number – Recruiters and hiring managers typically call if they are interested in you as a candidate. Make that easy; provide YOUR phone number, including area code. Not your mother’s nor your spouse’s and NEVER your current work number
10. Email Address - While most people have an email address, the one on your resume should be professional; typically your full name or some variation - NOT [email protected] or [email protected].
These 10 basic resume mistakes can determine the FIRST IMPRESSION employers have of you and are not based on your skills, experience, degrees or work history.
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