Does Your Resume Need Work?

A resume serves as a first impression for a recruiter or manager when that person considers you for employment. Even one glaring resume mistake may turn your job search on its head despite your wonderful qualifications, skill set and references.

Compare your resume to that of an advertisement for a product. The document, on paper, simply offers a way for someone to notice you. When an HR manager takes a closer look at the nuts and bolts of your resume, that person may come away with a completely different idea from what he perceived as a positive first impression. Avoid a resume mistake of such a large magnitude that a second look produces a failed job search. Consider these five faux pas.

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

Nothing kills a resume faster than a typo or grammatical error. Imagine a recruiter reading your resume and coming across the word "their" when it should say "they're." Suddenly, the recruiter tries to root out any other mistakes rather than searching for positives. Proofread your resume, have another person look over it a few times and submit the document to a hiring expert who can point out what you can improve in terms of content and grammar.

Similar to grammar and wording, a poorly formatted document counts as a big resume mistake. Look at your bullet points to ensure they line up properly. Maintain consistent fonts and ensure the margins keep straight lines. Examine blocks of text that break up the white spaces on the paper so the recruiter's gaze falls on the words you want him to see.

2. Lack of Skills

You state on your resume you can speak fluent Italian since the company you want to work for has an office in Rome. The HR manager tries to converse with you in Italian over the phone, but you just stare into space as if you do not know what he said. Avoid the huge resume mistake of mentioning skills you do not possess because eventually someone will find out you lied or misrepresented your talents.

3. Chronological Errors

Try not to say you worked for Acme Brick from September 2004 until April 2012 when, in reality, you worked from September 2005 until April 2011. Although you made an honest mistake since the "4" and "2" keys are next to the "5" and "1" keys, respectively, this type of resume mistake makes it seem like you lied and added two years to an employment tenure.

4. Avoid "Etc."

If an interviewer wants to know more about a certain line item of your resume, he should ask. Try to find a more succinct way to say something if you feel the need to put "etc." anywhere in your text.

5. Out-Of-Place Text

Avoid text that has no place in a resume, such as a sentence tacked on to the end of a prominent job skill. This makes it appear as if you tried to jam too much information into a one-page resume.

One resume mistake does not mean you would make a bad potential hire. However, it can ruin your chances of getting a job. A little prevention goes a long way when it comes to polishing your resume as a lead-up to the main act: the all-important interview.

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