Common Resume Mistakes You Should Avoid

Pasting your resume into the body of an email- There are some people who advocate doing this as a back up measure, but you should always include your resume and a copy of a cover letter as an attachment to the email. Whether you should also copy/paste it directly into the email is up to you. If you don't provide the resume as an attachment, it makes it difficult for a hiring manager to do much with it. They can't easily print it or share it with someone else. Also, every email client is different and what may look perfect to you can end up being run on text to the receiver. Most employers won't waste their time trying to decipher it.

 

Send a PDF- For most people, .Doc file works well, however you can't be sure about how the formatting will look on their programs. For example, if you were to type up a very impressive resume in a font that the hiring manager doesn't have, it will appear to them as complete gibberish. At that point, it doesn't matter how impressive the resume is if they can't read it. Most employers won't take the time to send you an email to let you know that there was a problem. It is always a good idea to send your resume out as a PDF. This way, you can be sure that the original format and text will be seen the way you intended it. If you don't have a program that allows you to make a PDF, take a look at open source programs like OpenOffice. They are free and have the ability to convert a text document into a PDF file.

 

Your file name matters- When you name your resume file, be sure to keep it simple. “Jane Smith Resume” is clear and simple. When employers are receiving hundreds of resumes, you don't want to give them a document with the title “Jsmithres55”. That sort of file name implies that it is the 55^th version of the resume and it doesn't make it easy for the employer to associate the resume file with your name.

 

Send resumes from professional email addresses- When you are sending out your resume, you are in the position of trying to make a professional impression on a potential employer with just one email. Don't send it from “Hotrockergurrl@whatever”. Be sure you have a professional email address when you start your job search.

 

Include a custom cover letter- Always take the time to write a cover letter for each job you are planning to send a resume for. A good cover letter is 3 short paragraphs stating why you are the best candidate for the job. Resist the temptation to write a form letter and use it every time. Employers can spot that a mile away. Be sure to mention the skill they asked for in the advertisement and tell them why you are the person they are looking for.

 

Get rid of the objective statement- The objective statement is boring and doesn't have any real purpose. Just get rid of it entirely.

 

Don't use casual language- In the cover letter and your resume, never use language that is casual. This includes abbreviations like “LOL, ASAP or BTW”. Even though they have become common in email communications, a potential employer isn't likely to be impressed by your mastery of them.