When it comes to looking for a job, people usually worry about the interview – how to dress, how firmly should they shake the interviewer’s hands and what to say.
But they disregard the big hurdle down the road that keeps them from getting there.
We’re talking about the resume.
It only takes around six seconds for recruiters to scan your application and decide if they should give you a chance or not. That puts a lot of pressure on your shoulders and finding the perfect formula to tell your story becomes crucial.
The following is the formula that you shouldn’t include, from a professional resume writing service.
- Personal Details
The recruiter is interested in learning about your skills and experience, not your marital or religious status. The same goes for your age. If you don’t feel comfortable with the interviewer knowing how old you are or if you’re afraid of biases, then a good idea would be to remove your graduation date.
- Irrelevant Work Experiences
Mention only the jobs that are relevant to the position you’re applying for and that showcase you have the skills needed to accomplish your tasks. However, try to include experiences that even though don’t seem to be directly applicable, prove some additional abilities you could translate to this opening.
Also, mention only jobs (and dates on education and certifications) from the past decade or so since anything before that has little chance to be applicable now.
- Poor Contact Information
Companies don’t need your full mailing address anymore or all three of your phone numbers.
But, that’s not even the worst mistake you could make. An unprofessional email address could sabotage your chances of advancing through the recruitment process.
Look, you’re not a teenager anymore when justmejohn@hotmail.com was cool. You’re a professional, and you must act like one. It takes just a few minutes to set up a job-worthy email address.
- Too Much Text
It doesn’t matter how interesting your career path is; recruiters aren’t going to read your resume word by word. If your resume is too dense, with giant paragraphs and long sentences, they will send it to the junk pile in a heartbeat.
Make your resume easy to scan. Use bullet points, short sentences, and paragraphs and no more than 0.8-inch margin with a readable font.
Don’t overdo it, though. Bullet points are meant to be used only to highlight the most important things. If your whole resume is bulleted, it means that everything is important and nothing stands out.
- Unnecessary Words
Why would you add “phone” or “email” in front of your actual number or address? It’s pretty obvious what they are.
Eliminate redundant words, such as “oversight of” or “duties included,” that complicate comprehension and hide your experience. Instead, be brief and direct, and choose active verbs to strengthen your achievements. Use “Organize company events” rather than “Responsible for organizing company event.”
- Hobbies/Interests
Not only that they’re not relevant for your application, but the hiring manager usually doesn’t care about what you do in your free time. You should write them down only if they hint at skills, knowledge or personality traits that could help you land the job.
- References
You only waste space when you mention references or “references upon request” at the bottom of your resume. If they are interested, recruiters will ask for them.
- A photo of Yourself
Unless it’s required, don’t include your headshot as it’s distracting and it simply doesn’t feel right.
- Generic Explanations
Hiring managers trust facts, not empty words. Don’t tell them what you’ve accomplished. State the facts and data that prove it. “Increased website traffic by X%” is better compared to “Improved online visibility.”
Similarly, instead of voicing your opinion of yourself use facts and let them show that you are “solution oriented,” “highly motivated” or any other skill you may have.
- Spelling and Grammar Mistakes
Pretty obvious, but always worth mentioning: allowing such mistakes doesn’t say much about you as a professional, and it’s a sure way to send your resume to the “no” pile.
Crafting the perfect resume is no simple task. As you can see, many factors can break your chances of being selected for an interview. If you don’t feel confident in your skills, then a resume writing service could help you create a CV that will stand out.
