Do You Have These Mistakes on Your Resume?

As a job applicant, you have just a few seconds to convince a hiring manager you have what it takes to succeed in an open position. Unfortunately, some applicants make serious resume mistakes that impact their credibility and make hiring managers think twice about scheduling an interview. If you are currently writing a resume, improve your chances of getting an interview by avoiding these common resume mistakes.

One of the most common resume mistakes is writing an objective. Putting an objective at the top of a resume used to be a way to capture the hiring manager's attention, but now it is nothing more than an outdated practice that can make you seem out of touch and unaware of what is happening in your industry. If your current resume has an objective, remove it and use the space for more important information.

If you have been using an outdated resume format, now is the time to switch to something more modern. Using an old-fashioned format is one of the most egregious resume mistakes because it might give recruiters the impression you don't keep yourself informed about what is happening in the professional world. The format you use should give hiring managers the impression you are organized and detail-oriented.

Before you send a resume to a potential employer, review it several times to make sure it does not have any grammatical errors, misplaced commas, typos or formatting errors. These resume mistakes can hurt your credibility and make potential employers think twice about hiring you, especially if you are applying for jobs requiring good judgment and attention to detail. It's difficult to proofread your own work, so have a trusted colleague review your resume if you're not sure you caught every error.

Many employers now use software to screen resumes and narrow down a large pool of applicants. You might be the perfect candidate for the job, but the hiring manager won't know that unless you include the right keywords in your resume. One of the most common resume mistakes is including generic keywords instead of keywords that relate specifically to the job opening. If you are applying for a position in the accounting field, for example, your resume should contain keywords such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll and auditing.

When hiring managers read your resume, they want to know about what you've achieved, not all of the tasks you perform at your current job. Instead of focusing on your job duties, make sure your resume also has a list of achievements. If you slashed expenses by 42 percent or reduced waste by 20 percent, add the information to your resume. Including specific achievements shows hiring managers you are an effective employee.

You only have one chance to convince a hiring manager you deserve further consideration for a job. When writing a resume, don't hurt your chances of moving forward in the hiring process by making common resume mistakes. Instead, use a modern resume format, proofread the content carefully and make sure your resume conforms to the standards for your industry.

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