01. May 2008 | Show Originial
Resumes seem to be a particularly difficult beast to tame. It's just a piece of paper, or electronic file, so often we want to put every ounce of our personality into it. Before the interview, especially if you're applying online, it might be the only bit of you the employer gets to know. So, you want it to scream "THIS IS ME!"... right? Well, not necessarily. The best resumes are kept succinct, clear to the point, and specific as possible. So to help you through your resume-prepping process, I've made a list of the top 10 things never, ever, ever to do on your resume. (It would be helpful if you envisioned a less funny, but slightly better dressed, version of Dave Letterman sitting in a cubicle reading these off cue cards.)
10. Never use brightly colored paper, or clip-art. Unless you're applying to write limericks for Hallmark greeting cards, it's probably best to avoid using stock images of flowers in vases and pastel pink printer paper.
9. Never skip using the spell and grammar check. Seriously. It's just a click, and it can save you from embarrassing moments like this one, from Resumes From Hell (available at Amazon.com).
Rachel,
I enjoyed the wonderful interview you mailed us this week and keep getting more and more enlightened by your tit bits!
Also let me know if position #SW02493 would work for me - I am very interested.
Thank you!
Mahendra
8. Don't spray perfume or cologne on your resume. You laugh, but it's happened! In fact, in office situations in general, it's best to go light on things like perfumes and colognes.
7. It's definitely not necessary to mention that you like base jumping in your free time. While your resume is a representation of you, this might be too much information. You don't want the hiring manager thinking you could be a liability.
6. Listing irrelevant information is... well, irrelevant. You might be Vice President of your local chapter of the NRA (National Rifle Association), but if you're applying to work as an X-ray tech through a job posting you found on HealthCareerWeb.com... Just don't do it.
5. Don't sell yourself short. A lot of people think honesty is the best policy, and it is. But there is a line clearly drawn between what helps and what hurts. For example, if you're applying for a developer's job, and you had to take a test to be certified where 73% is passing, and you scored 71%... it might be best to include something else that attests to your strengths as a developer and where you gained that knowledge/experience.
4. Avoid self-questionnaires. Keep your resume simple, without opening yourself up to redundancies or pigeon-holes.
3. Don't bore the hiring manager. This isn't your life story - it's a sales pitch. The best way to sell yourself is to provide the hiring manager with a short snippet that summarizes your skills and qualifications without giving away the whole farm. Use action verbs like "oversaw," "demonstrated," and "improved" to show progress and ability.
2. Don't talk about your former employers. Most applications include a section where you can explain why you're leaving or have already left your current position. However, it's not necessary on your resume, especially if you have nothing nice to say!
1. Don't forget to follow-up! It's not necessarily part of the resume, but one of the biggest mistakes a job seeker can make is not following up after they've submitted their resume. The resume is really just the first step in the interviewing process. You need to seal the deal so to speak by hammering home that you really are interested in the position by sending a note or picking up the phone.
As long as you don't make these mistakes, your resume should turn out beautifully. Visit EmploymentGuide.com for more ways you can craft the perfect resume.
10. Never use brightly colored paper, or clip-art. Unless you're applying to write limericks for Hallmark greeting cards, it's probably best to avoid using stock images of flowers in vases and pastel pink printer paper.
9. Never skip using the spell and grammar check. Seriously. It's just a click, and it can save you from embarrassing moments like this one, from Resumes From Hell (available at Amazon.com).
Rachel,
I enjoyed the wonderful interview you mailed us this week and keep getting more and more enlightened by your tit bits!
Also let me know if position #SW02493 would work for me - I am very interested.
Thank you!
Mahendra
8. Don't spray perfume or cologne on your resume. You laugh, but it's happened! In fact, in office situations in general, it's best to go light on things like perfumes and colognes.
7. It's definitely not necessary to mention that you like base jumping in your free time. While your resume is a representation of you, this might be too much information. You don't want the hiring manager thinking you could be a liability.
6. Listing irrelevant information is... well, irrelevant. You might be Vice President of your local chapter of the NRA (National Rifle Association), but if you're applying to work as an X-ray tech through a job posting you found on HealthCareerWeb.com... Just don't do it.
5. Don't sell yourself short. A lot of people think honesty is the best policy, and it is. But there is a line clearly drawn between what helps and what hurts. For example, if you're applying for a developer's job, and you had to take a test to be certified where 73% is passing, and you scored 71%... it might be best to include something else that attests to your strengths as a developer and where you gained that knowledge/experience.
4. Avoid self-questionnaires. Keep your resume simple, without opening yourself up to redundancies or pigeon-holes.
3. Don't bore the hiring manager. This isn't your life story - it's a sales pitch. The best way to sell yourself is to provide the hiring manager with a short snippet that summarizes your skills and qualifications without giving away the whole farm. Use action verbs like "oversaw," "demonstrated," and "improved" to show progress and ability.
2. Don't talk about your former employers. Most applications include a section where you can explain why you're leaving or have already left your current position. However, it's not necessary on your resume, especially if you have nothing nice to say!
1. Don't forget to follow-up! It's not necessarily part of the resume, but one of the biggest mistakes a job seeker can make is not following up after they've submitted their resume. The resume is really just the first step in the interviewing process. You need to seal the deal so to speak by hammering home that you really are interested in the position by sending a note or picking up the phone.
As long as you don't make these mistakes, your resume should turn out beautifully. Visit EmploymentGuide.com for more ways you can craft the perfect resume.