Pet Peeves on Your Resume

Avoiding resume pet peeves can help you gain employment. While hiring managers can afford to be picky, you cannot afford to lose out on a great job opportunity. Consider some of the pet peeves that may be lurking on your resume that can affect your ability to land a new job.

A Lengthy Resume

With tons of job seekers applying for limited positions, many hiring managers do not have much time to read each resume. A concise resume is more likely to be read in its entirety. A one-page resume proves sufficient for most job seekers, and experienced senior professionals may use a second page to cover their industry expertise and accomplishments. If the extra information you share does not pertain to the new position you are seeking, then it is not seen as relevant.

Poor References

One of the pet peeves of hiring managers is poor or missing references on a resume. Make sure the references you use are valid, and fill in the maximum number of references if possible. In a highly competitive job market, having stellar references is a plus. If you have little or no employment history, good references are even more important. Check to see that all the contact information for your references is correct, or the hiring manager may never reach them to hear their positive evaluation of you and your past performance.

Bad Formatting

A resume that lacks proper formatting can appear dense and difficult to read. A maze of words power-packed on your resume can leave your best skills and assets lost among the text. Use white space to balance out your resume and make it easier to skim and find essential information. Choose a plain, professional font that is large enough to read. If you are uncertain about how to format your resume, study a resume template for inspiration.

Customize Your Submission

Many people send out a generic resume and cover letter and fail to get noticed. Taking the time to customize your resume can help you obtain a new job quickly. Read the job description carefully and provide any information and answers to questions that the company posts on its website to create a resume that covers all the bases. Avoid attaching a photo to your resume unless it is a given option.

Errors on a Resume

With spell-check at nearly every person's fingertips, a resume with noticeable spelling or grammatical errors is one of the worst pet peeves. Some employers even toss out or delete resumes that have errors if the position requires attention to detail.

Keep in mind that employers have pet peeves that many job seekers do not even consider. Viewing your resume with a more critical eye can help you make beneficial improvements. Ask a trustworthy person to review your resume before you send it to potential employers. If you find any pet peeves on your resume that could hinder your chances of employment, fix them quickly to improve your chances of getting hired.

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