Q: How do I write a resume?
Avoid the Top 10 Resume Mistakes
by Peter Vogt
MonsterTRAK Career Coach
It's deceptively easy to make mistakes on your resume and exceptionally difficult to repair the damage once an employer gets it. So prevention is critical, especially if you've never written one before. Here are the most common pitfalls and how you can avoid them.
1. Typos and Grammatical Errors
Your resume needs to be grammatically perfect. If it isn't, employers will read between the lines and draw not-so-flattering conclusions about you, like: "This person can't write," or "This person obviously doesn't care."
2. Lack of Specifics
Employers need to understand what you've done and accomplished. For example:
Worked with employees in a restaurant setting.
Recruited, hired, trained and supervised more than 20 employees in a restaurant with $2 million in annual sales.
Both of these phrases could describe the same person, but clearly the second one's details and specifics will more likely grab an employer's attention.
3. Attempting One Size Fits All
Whenever you try to develop a one-size-fits-all resume to send to all employers, you almost always end up with something employers will toss in the recycle bin. Employers want you to write a resume specifically for them. They expect you to clearly show how and why you fit the position in a specific organization.
4. Highlighting Duties Instead of Accomplishments
It's easy to slip into a mode where you simply start listing job duties on your resume. For example:
Attended group meetings and recorded minutes.
Worked with children in a day-care setting.
Updated departmental files.
Employers, however, don't care so much about what you've done as what you've accomplished in your various activities. They're looking for statements more like these:
Used laptop computer to record weekly meeting minutes and compiled them in a Microsoft Word-based file for future organizational reference.
Developed three daily activities for preschool-age children and prepared them for a 10-minute holiday program performance.
Reorganized 10 years' worth of unwieldy files, making them easily accessible to department members.
5. Going on Too Long or Cutting Things Too Short
Despite what you may read or hear, there are no real rules governing the length of your resume. Why? Because human beings, who have different preferences and expectations where resumes are concerned, will be reading it.
That doesn't mean you should start sending out five-page resumes, of course. Generally speaking, you usually need to limit yourself to a maximum of two pages. But don't feel you have to use two pages if one will do. Conversely, don't cut the meat out of your resume simply to make it conform to an arbitrary one-page standard.
6. A Bad Objective
Employers do read your resume's objective statement, but too often they plow through vague pufferies like, "Seeking a challenging position that offers professional growth." Give employers something specific and, more importantly, something that focuses on their needs as well as your own. Example: "A challenging entry-level marketing position that allows me to contribute my skills and experience in fund-raising for nonprofits."
7. No Action Verbs
Avoid using phrases like "responsible for." Instead, use action verbs: "Resolved user questions as part of an IT help desk serving 4,000 students and staff."
8. Leaving Off Important Information
You may be tempted, for example, to eliminate mention of the jobs you've taken to earn extra money for school. Typically, however, the soft skills you've gained from these experiences (e.g., work ethic, time management) are more important to employers than you might think.
9. Visually Too Busy
If your resume is wall-to-wall text featuring five different fonts, it will most likely give the employer a headache. So show your resume to several other people before sending it out. Do they find it visually attractive? If what you have is hard on the eyes, revise.
10. Incorrect Contact Information
I once worked with a student whose resume seemed incredibly strong, but he wasn't getting any bites from employers. So one day, I jokingly asked him if the phone number he'd listed on his resume was correct. It wasn't. Once he changed it, he started getting the calls he'd been expecting. Moral of the story: Double-check even the most minute, taken-for-granted details -- sooner rather than later.
"Common Resume Blunders"
Make sure your resume is in top-notch shape by avoiding the top 10 resume blunders:
1. Too Focused on Job Duties
Your resume should not be a boring list of job duties and responsibilities. Go beyond showing what was required and demonstrate how you made a difference at each company, providing specific examples. When developing your achievements, ask yourself:
How did you perform the job better than others?
What were the problems or challenges faced? How did you overcome them? What were the results? How did the company benefit from your performance?
Did you receive any awards, special recognition or promotions as a result?
2. Flowery or General Objective Statement
Many candidates lose their readers in the beginning. Statements such as "A challenging position enabling me to contribute to organizational goals while offering an opportunity for growth and advancement" are overused, too general and waste valuable space. If you're on a career track, replace the objective with a tagline stating what you do or your expertise.
3. Too Short or Too Long
Many people try to squeeze their experiences onto one page, because they've heard resumes shouldn't be longer. By doing this, job seekers may delete impressive achievements. Other candidates ramble on about irrelevant or redundant experiences. There is no rule about appropriate resume length. When writing your resume, ask yourself, "Will this statement help me land an interview?" Every word should sell you, so include only the information that elicits a "yes."
4. Using Personal Pronouns and Articles
A resume is a form of business communication, so it should be concise and written in a telegraphic style. There should be no mentions of "I" or "me," and only minimal use of articles. For example:
I developed a new product that added $2 million in sales and increased the market segment's gross margin by 12 percent.
Should be changed to:
Developed new product that added $2 million in sales and increased market segment's gross margin by 12 percent.
5. Listing Irrelevant Information
Many people include their interests, but they should include only those relating to the job. For example, if a candidate is applying for a position as a ski instructor, he should list cross-country skiing as a hobby.
Personal information, such as date of birth, marital status, height and weight, normally should not be on the resume unless you're an entertainment professional or job seeker outside the US.
6. Using a Functional Resume When You Have a Good Career History
It irks hiring managers not to see the career progression and the impact you made at each position. Unless you have an emergency situation, such as virtually no work history or excessive job-hopping, avoid the functional format.
The modified chronological format, or combination resume, is often the most effective. Here's the basic layout:
Header (name, address, email address, phone number).
Lead with a strong profile section detailing the scope of your experience and areas of proficiency.
Reverse chronological employment history emphasizing achievements over the past 10 to 15 years.
Education (new grads may put this at the top).
7. Not Including a Summary Section That Makes an Initial Hard Sell
This is one of the job seeker's greatest tools. Candidates who have done their homework will know the skills and competencies important to the position. The summary should demonstrate the skill level and experiences directly related to the position being sought.
To create a high-impact summary statement, peruse job openings to determine what's important to employers. Next, write a list of your matching skills, experience and education. Incorporate these points into your summary.
8. Not Including Keywords
With so many companies using technology to store resumes, the only hope a job seeker has of being found is to sprinkle relevant keywords throughout the resume. Determine keywords by reading job descriptions that interest you, and include the words you see repeatedly in your resume.
9. Referring to Your References
Employers know you have professional references. Use this statement only to signal the end of a long resume or to round out the design.
10. Typos
One typo can land your resume in the garbage. Proofread and show your resume to several friends to have them proofread it as well. This document is a reflection of you and should be perfect.
"Seven First-Time Resume Concerns"
When you're a college student or recent grad and trying to write a resume, especially your first one, you'll face questions you typically won't find addressed in the current blizzard of resume books. That doesn't mean your questions aren't valid; it simply means the resume experts often overlook them, because they generally target mid-career audiences.
As The MonsterTRAK Career Coach, I've seen many versions of the following resume-related questions. It's time for some answers.
1. Should My Resume Be One Page or Two?
If you read enough books or talk to enough people who "know" about resumes, you'll come across a rule stating your resume should be only one page long. It's time to let this myth go, along with the resume handcuffing it spawns.
It's great if you can do this. But if you end up leaving out so much good material that you destroy your interview chances, what good have you done?
Remember: A human will read your resume. Some readers demand your resume be one page. Others will read a two-pager without hesitation. You don't know who's who, but the point still remains -- a one-page rule simply doesn't exist.
2. Should the Education Section Go First or Last?
In most cases, it makes sense to put the Education section at the beginning of your resume, since you're a college student or recent grad. But if you've got a lot of great internship, co-op or work experience closely related to your chosen field, position your Experience section ahead of Education.
Here's another resume area where there's no rule: Put it where it makes the most sense for you and your particular skills and experiences.
3. Should I Include My GPA on My Resume?
Yes -- if it's above a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). If not, try to make it look better by highlighting your major GPA instead of your cumulative one or calculating your GPA for the last three or four semesters, for example.
4. Should I List My School Address, Permanent Address or Both?
If in doubt, list both -- as long as you can actually be reached at both. If not, use the address where an employer will actually be able to reach you for the next few months.
5. What Can I Put on My Resume If I Don't Have Much Experience?
For starters, don't overlook or ignore the skills you've gained from jobs you've taken simply to get through school. You've also gained valuable experience from:
Your foreign-language study.
Alternative learning experiences, like studying abroad or conducting research.
Your computer and Internet use.
Extracurricular activities.
6. Should My Resume Include Only Paid Experience?
Employers are interested in your skills, not whether or not you've been paid to learn them. So don't hesitate to highlight nonpaying work and volunteer experiences if they've given you bragging rights.
7. Should I Include Precollege Information on My Resume?
Generally, no -- employers aren't likely to care about it much. There are exceptions, of course. Suppose you won a national award in high school, or you accomplished something extraordinary. Then you should highlight it, especially if it's connected to your chosen field.
Remember: Resume writing is much more art than science, so just as you would with an art project, express yourself the way that works best for you and the information you're trying to portray.
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