10 Big Resume Mistakes

Find and Remove These Blunders

1. Spelling Errors and Poor Grammar
   One of the most common mistakes people make is spelling their words incorrectly. When writing, it is a simple matter of using the spell checker function to find and correct most spelling errors. Proper sentence structure is vital. Here is one of the first chances you have to demonstrate your level of education and the care you exercise when you complete a task. Considering you can use a spell check function, and look up words in an online dictionary, there is no reason to have spelling errors, and employers know this. Proofread, then proofread again, have others proofread it as well.
2. No Personal Information
   It is not necessary to enter your personal information. It begins to put the employer in an awkward position because of anti-discrimination laws. When you tell them your age, gender, and race, you are giving them the information they are not entitled to have. Adding unnecessary details about yourself only increases the length of your page. You are supposed to be hired based upon your abilities and qualifications, not personal your details. The hiring manager will need to waste precious time reading this irrelevant information, time that could be better spent reading important facts.
3. Missing Cover Letter
   It is customary to provide a cover letter along with your resume. Unless you are specifically instructed not to, sending in or bringing your cover letter to your interview can bolster the specifics your resume contains. We have a tutorial about how to write a cover letter and a cover letter writing video, they both expand on this topic.
4. Use Action Verbs
   To give some life to your writing you will want to substitute common, low energy verbs for action verbs. These words can portray your accomplishments with more impact and vigor. A thesaurus can offer substitute words of which you may not have thought. We have a list of action verbs where you can discover examples of words to use in your writing.
5. Keyword Optimization
   Many people don't realize that HR departments electronically scan applicants' resumes before an actual person reads them. They will electronically search for keywords related to the position. This process weeds out the unqualified applicants saving time for the HR personnel. You will want to use keywords in the various sections of your resume tailoring it to the job. Our tutorial about keyword optimization techniques explains how to make your resume more relevant.
6. Don't List References
   It is normal to supply personal and business references who can speak about your character and abilities. They are normally included on a separate reference page. You can also enter the references into an online application form, or a hard copy can be handed in during the interview. Don't list your supervisors' names and contact info on your resume either. If you need to make a reference page you can use our Free Reference Page Creator to do so.
7. Important Stuff at the Top
   Very little time is actually spent reading your resume. The information must jump off the page and capture the attention of the employer very quickly. To facilitate this, you can put your most relevant information at the top of each section and toward the top of your resume as a whole. Then, the reader will come across your essential details right away. More info about formatting, section order selection, and a video about sorting sections can be found on each of these pages.
8. Too Generic or One Size Fits All
   Problem number eight on our list of 10 resume mistakes is to be sure to research the job and company, then tailor your resume to target the job. You won't want the resume to be generalized and non-specific. What do you have to offer that will benefit them?
9. Too Long or Too Short
   You will want to make the page long enough to contain a sufficient number of relevant details from your education and employment histories. Remove meaningless phrases and verbiage, don't simply add words unless they really add something meaningful. The employer will not spend much time reading what you wrote. Use bulleted lists consisting of short, direct sentences, don't write in a roundabout manner. More details about writing and other common mistakes can be found in our resume tips video.
10. Falsifying the Facts
    If you write untruths on your resume, you risk that the employer will discover them and you will face dismissal because of stating false facts. With all the time you spent researching and applying for this job, it would be a shame for you to lose it later when they uncover your deception.