I
Is your resume standing between you and your dream career? A well-crafted resume is your key into the interview room, ushering you past bots, the applicant tracking system, and the first round of applicant screening.
Despite the critical role resumes play in the process, many people struggle with the same common resume mistakes, hindering their chance of landing the job. No matter your talents, qualifications, or passion, a poorly written resume will get rejected — or not even read.
What makes a “well-crafted” resume?
Start by avoiding these eight resume mistakes to let your talents shine, scoot past application systems and bots, and receive an interview.
1. You Haven’t Used Spellcheck
Typos and grammatical errors continue to plague resumes. Submitting a resume riddled with these errors — easily caught by a proofreader or software — can undermine your professionalism and attention to detail.
It’s greater than spelling or a misplaced comma: not taking the time can raise red flags for potential employers, pointing to carelessness or a poor work ethic.
Example: "I have a strong attention two detail and excellent communication kills."
How to Make Your Resume Stronger:
Thoroughly proofread your resume multiple times
Use spell check or an online grammar checker (I love Grammarly)
Ask a friend or colleague to review your resume
Engage a professional resume writer (bonus: they’ll go beyond syntax and focus on every aspect of what makes a perfectly polished resume)
2. You’re Out of Line:
Looks matter. The layout and design of your resume can make a significant impact on how it’s received and the impression of your professionalism. Poor formatting and alignment can make your resume challenging to read — key details and experience risk getting lost.
Example:
Uneven margins
Inconsistent spacing
Misaligned bullet points
How to Make Your Resume Stronger:
Use a clean and professional resume format that organizes your information logically
Pay attention to consistent spacing, margins, and bullet alignment
Use headings and bullet points to break up text and make it more accessible to read
Choose a layout that highlights your most critical details and ensures easy readability
3. You’re Not Bot-Friendly:
Before your resume is seen by a human, you have to get past the robot gatekeepers. Many companies use application tracking systems (ATS) and bots to screen and filter resumes — and 75% of resumes never make it past the ATS. Optimizing your resume for these systems is crucial to making it to the interview.
One of the most important factors? Using the right language. Bots look for certain keywords to ensure that you have the necessary qualifications.
This applies to all career stages. If you’ve been relying on the same resume throughout your career but are struggling to get interviews now, your resume might not be updated for today’s landscape of ATS systems and bots.
Example:
Overemphasis on design
Using images, complex tables, sidebars/boxes, and shapes
The information is out of order
Uncommon file formats that ATS can’t parse
How to Make Your Resume Stronger:
Use simple formatting, ie, avoiding graphics
Use the right keywords to describe skillsets and experience (ie, include “project management” in your resume for Project Management roles). Just make sure to avoid keyword stuffing
Avoid using online templates, images, charts, or tables
Save your file as a PDF or Word (.doc or .docx) file to ensure compatibility with various systems
4. You’re Not Updating It for the Job:
Writing your resume is only the first step. Editing is the second (and most important). Your resume should be tailored to each job application — submitting a generic resume can demonstrate a lack of effort and interest. Even if you’re a shoo-in for the position, if your resume doesn’t reflect the desired skillset, you could be rejected or reduce your opportunity to get seen by a hiring manager.
Taking this extra step does more than capture your qualifications. It demonstrates your genuine interest in this position, signaling to hiring managers your work ethic and your excitement.
Example: Listing irrelevant experiences and skills that do not align with the job requirements
How to Make Your Resume Stronger:
Carefully read through the job requirements
Integrate and highlight relevant skills and experience — what specifics from your last role have best prepared you for your new one?
Use keywords from the job description (helpful for ATS and for hiring managers)
Ready for your strongest resume?
Comentários