Resume mistakes can be easy to make, but beware, they will stand out like a sore thumb to potential employers. Even the most benign resume mistakes can make you appear incompetent in the eyes of employers who are looking to hire top talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, your resume is your first chance to show an\nemployer that you are the perfect fit \u2014 but if done incorrectly, that employer may\ndecide that you are not a fit at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how do you prevent yourself\nfrom making resume mistakes that can easily keep you from landing that job\ninterview? We have rounded up a few tips to help prevent\nyou from getting your resume tossed into the \u201ccircular file.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do not use one cookie cutter\nresume for all employers. While it can\nbe tempting to mass email out one generic resume, this may cause your resume to fail the employer\u2019s filtering process. Today\u2019s resumes are often reviewed electronically by filtering\nsoftware and,\nif your resume is missing the keywords specified in the job description, it\nwill be filtered out and never seen by the recruiter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gender, age, sexual\norientation, nationality, disability, criminal record, marital status, and\nunrelated hobbies do not need to be included on your resume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Typos are resume killers. Having\nsomeone else review your resume with their fresh eyes is extremely helpful. Even published authors have their work proofread by editors. But, if\nyou can\u2019t have another person proofread it for you,\ntry reading it out loud to yourself. \nAlso, reading it while placing your finger slowly under each word is a\ngreat way to catch errors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Describing your current position is the only time that current tense is used. Be sure to use past tense when describing your past experiences. Many people use the wrong tense at the start of bullet points. Be sure to double-check your bullets before a recruiter does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your resume\u2019s formatting can be\ndistorted when opened from different computer programs. A PDF will ensure that recruiters will see\nyour resume formatted the same way, regardless of what program they use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Employers want to see how you added value to your past employers. Not just a list of your tasks. Quantify your accomplishments by providing concrete evidence, numbers, sales figures, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n