On average, the amount of time hiring managers spend looking at a resume is just a few seconds. You have very limited amount of time to capture the attention and interest of that manager. Resumes are your very first impression, make sure you aren’t making these common resume mistakes!
Make your resume reflect the position you’re applying for.
If you are applying for a marketing or branding position, your resume should reflect that. You should easily be able to see the personal brand, unique shapes and a photo. If you are applying for anything else, keep it simple. A simple black and white resume with clear bullet points listing your experience is all that you need. Anything in addition is distracting.
Check and re-check your spelling and grammar.
Resumes should be 100% error free. If you present a resume with mistakes you are showing you are not detail oriented and even worse, lazy!
Make sure your resume is appropriate in length.
Your resume should be appropriate in length to your experience. I am not a firm believer in the one-page resume rule. If you have been working for 20 years- you should have a lot of experience to show. With that being said, if you are applying for your first job and your resume is three pages, something isn’t quite right. Each position should have three to five bullet points clearly listing your responsibilities and achieved results. Edit out the fluff. An interview is a great place to expand on your experience and explain each bullet point in further detail.
Include dates with your work history.
Not putting the dates on your work history is a big no-no. Hiring managers want to confirm there are no extended gaps in employment. By not listing your employment dates, it looks like you are trying to hide something. Be upfront and honest about each duration. The truth is going to come out anyway.
Make sure your resume is an accurate reflection of you.
If you are going to list areas of expertise, make sure you really are an expert in those areas. Very often I see Excel listed under this section, but let’s be honest, are you really an expert? What kind of formulas are you using? When was the last time you made a pivot table? I also recommend not listing social media platforms (unless you are applying for a Social Media position). If it isn’t relevant to the role, leave it out. If you list something as an area of strength, expect to be questioned on it in the interview.
At the end of the day your resume should reflect you. Don’t over complicate things or use verbiage you typically wouldn’t use. Give yourself the best chance to get that interview request and put some extra time into crafting your best resume!
