Ten worst pitfalls to avoid in your resume

by Bipin Shah Self Employed
Believe it or not, your resume has only a few seconds to gain the employer's attention. Today, most employers are flooded with resumes from eager job seekers. Therefore, to stand out from the crowd, your resume should be free of the common errors. Have you ever wondered what not to include in your resume? There are some blunders that will guarantee that your resume never catches the attention of the employers. A recent Accountemps survey suggests that 28 percent of executives feel that job applicants make the most mistakes when writing their resumes. What are these mistakes? Here is our take on the top 10 worst pitfalls to avoid while writing a resume.

1. Too many personal details

 

Except from your full name, contact information, including email, phone number and address, you should avoid giving further personal detail in your resume. Information such as your age or anything about our family must be kept aside. It's you who is applying for a job position; you are what matters, not the history of your family.

 

2. Unrelated information

 

Mention such facts that lend credibility to you as a job applicant. You should avoid stating information in your resume that has nothing to do with the job you are applying for. Very often job seekers make this mistake while telling about their hobbies or accomplishments. If you are applying for a software developer position, what sense it would make if you state that you were an arm wrestling champion as one of your accomplishments? Think about it.

 

3. Highlight on duties, instead of accomplishments is a mistake

 

Resumes should primarily have high-impact statements about the job seeker's accomplishments that would sell his qualifications and present him as the best candidate. You must shun phrases like "responsibilities included" or "duties included" and focus on accomplishments that set you apart from other job candidates.

 

4. A loose objective

 

The very first thing in your resume that your potential employers would surely look at is the objective statement. So avoid making vague statements like "Seeking a challenging position that offers professional growth". The employers come across such lines probably hundred times a day. Try to say something specific that would serve the employers' need as well as your own. If you are applying for a marketing position, you can state your objective as "Seeking an entry-level marketing position that allows me to utilize my skills and enables me to make a positive contribution to the organization".

5. Using cookie-cutter resume templates

 

Most resumes created from a Microsoft Word template are easily recognizable to employers. Since the employers have seen a million of them, such drab looking resumes don't stand out. You're supposed to be uniquely qualified so the company will choose you among other candidates. Therefore use a little imagination while writing your resume. It'll surely help you a lot.

6. Listing references directly on the resume

 

References are a good tool to increase your credibility in the eyes of your prospective employer. But you shouldn't list specific references directly on your resume. Instead, you must list them on a separate sheet. Even then, references should be given if specifically requested by the employer.

7. Including salary expectations

 

Never include salary related points in the resume. It will distract the reader's attention and you may lose the chance to face the interview. It's better to keep it out of your resume, unless the employer asks for it. If you get a job requirement from a job portal, placement agency or direct recruiter, they may specifically ask your current salary and expected salary. In this case, it is recommended to include the details asked above in the cover letter.

8. If you were fired from a job...

Your resume should highlight your positive aspects and each and every facet that makes you the most deserving candidate. Stating that you were fired from your earlier job for poor performance or any other fault will not help you getting the job in any way. Yes, if you are asked to explain why you left a job, you need to be truthful.

9. Poorly organized

 

While writing your resume, you should maintain a proper order of importance. Don't mention about your hobbies at the starting. Moreover, job titles are more important than dates of employment. It's better to put the educational details at the end. If you are a fresh graduate, then only you should highlight it. More significance should be given to those information that meet the need of the employers.

10. Typos and Grammatical Errors

It may sound insignificant, but a small spelling mistake or grammatical error can cost you the job you are applying for. Your resume needs to be grammatically perfect otherwise it will create an impression of a careless person in the minds of the employers.

Created on Mar 30th 2011 04:59. Viewed 799 times.

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