Whether we like it or not, at the first stage resumes are our only, and best, representatives of ourselves – human resource officers have nothing else to judge by whether we fit the bill. Therefore we should try our best to make our resumes look as impressive as possible. Apart from spelling mistakes and typos, there are many pitfalls that we have to be aware of and avoid.
Some of the errors are pitifully recurring, and these really ought to be recognized and avoided when you are sweating to make your resume as brilliant as possible to land the perfect job. You won’t like to be caught giving too much or too little information or omitting the necessary keywords. Better run your eye over the resume again and check a few points.
Are the keywords matching the job advert in their places?
As recruitment people are sorting out submitted resumes, they rely on matching keywords; should your resume went off sans keywords referring tot he advertised the job, it could be tossed aside right at the start. Mind you alter your qualifications so that they read exactly like the relevant description to make your resume look the very thing they need at first glance.
Were you too verbose?
Looking through heaps of resumes makes onerous work, and no-one likes to tarry over those that explain their owner’s qualifications in too many words. See that your resume states your experience clearly and concisely without flooding the reader with superfluous information. Cut out odd jobs, pare the text down to bare facts, shorten paragraphs and use bullet points for easier perusal – and you may rely on getting the best attention of the manager.
Is there enough exact, number-confirmed information?
It would definitely be easier for you to expound on your achievements in prose than to look up figures, but the hard way is much more preferable. With fewer words and more numbers, your resume will read more convincing as the human resource manager will take it all in a glance and see how well you can run your department.
Do timelines dovetail?
You may not remember your professional experience time spans correctly, yet you will be well advised to have them checked carefully.
Your previous experience is what interests the HR manager most, so why not have it apt? Make as sure as you can that you have got exact dates that coincide with the information given in tax records, on LinkedIn, or in reference letters. Should there appear gross mismatches, your interview can end in a stalemate and you won’t get anywhere.
Does your email address look suitable for the occasion?
You may not have had previous reason to check your email address for flippancy, but with a job interview in the pipeline, you had better do that. You will want your recruiting officers to see a common type address with your name on it and not nicknames your fellow students thought up in the good old days. Open a new account instead of using addresses like wonderkid@gmail.com.
Are your positions stated correctly?
Some companies that got launched but recently can employ frivolous position titles like „Sales Guru“ or „Accounting Sensei,“ and some of us may have actually worked as Marketing pundits.
Nevertheless, when applying for a job in a blue-chip company, you would do well to reword them into something more acceptable. Your prospective employers may need no gurus in their midst.
See to it that your previous positions are stated clearly, with detailed job requirements and start-end dates showcasing your experience.
Is your formatting on the level?
Don’t let formatting get out of hand. Those aspiring for creative work may tend to overuse it through splashing visual tricks all over the document. It is not always such a great idea. The fact is nowadays so many employers rely on the apps called Applicant Tracking Systems for following the applicants‘ way through the taking-on procedure. The apps are designed to parse the submitted documents with a view of allowing the HR managers to assess the pile of resumes with more ease. Doing their work, they can wreak havoc with inordinary formatting rendering the resume totally unintelligible.
If you play the formatting game, at least run your resume on Google Hire or Indeed before you send it out to see if your recipient will be able to read it just as you mean it to be read.
Did you write a cover letter?
It’s easy to just attach your resume without penning a cover letter, although a letter would add a more personal touch letting recruitment experts understand your attitude even before they open your resume.
By composing a really good cover letter you could outstrip many of your rivals in the eyes of the employer at the very first stage of the procedure.
Did you check your text for cliches and hackneyed phrases?
The hiring pro sure gets tired reading stuff like „diligent,“ „goal oriented“ or „highly creative“ in every other resume. Such buzzwords may look tempting and fetching, yet take pains to obliterate them.
Unless borne out by tangible proof, such descriptions can be quite irritating and generate suspicion. Make sure that your loud adjectives are followed by facts and figures that speak of your experience and outstanding achievements ar your previous job.
True, it means that preparing your resume is a bit of hard work, needing care and attention, but it certainly pays to eventually go and get your records straight. Apart from making your resume stand out from hundreds of more careless missiles, it encourages business-like habits of minding cover letters, providing accurate dating and a dead-serious email address, thereby convincing your prospective employer that he is dealing with a heavyweight applicant who may prove a real brook-no-nonsense member of the staff.
