Top 10 Resume Mistakes to Avoid
Discover the top 10 common resume mistakes that can hurt your chances of landing a job.
You've been applying for employment and sending out CVs on a daily basis and haven't received any responses. All of your applications appear to have vanished into the internet's black hole. You're curious as to why your CV isn't getting you any responses or interviews. But believe me, it's not because you're unqualified or unfit for the job. It is most likely due to inaccuracies on your CV, which may not seem like a huge concern at the moment, but can significantly reduce your chances of getting employed.
Your CV or resume promotes your talents, education, work experience, and accomplishments to a potential employer, demonstrating that you are the perfect person for the position.
The resume is the essential job search document, and if it is written well, it will open doors and cause employers to sit up and take notice. We have identified the top ten typical mistakes that candidates make that reduce their chances of being employed. Be aware of these typical blunders so that you can avoid them when developing or revising your resume.
Want a job-winning
Resume
Flat & Affordable Rates
Over 6,000 professionals have benefited from our expert CV writing service, which has helped them score more interviews and get employed faster.
Contact NowWhen creating resumes, spelling errors are still quite common. Whether you write it yourself or hire someone else to do it for you, the most crucial thing to do is to go through your resume from beginning to end. It is important to print your CV and read it twice before mailing it. When it's printed, you'll notice a lot more.
If your resume has spelling mistakes, typos, or poor grammar, you may be perceived as a poor communicator, careless, or disinterested in the position. So, here are some suggestions to consider while creating your resume or CV.
- Use platforms such as Quillbot to check for spelling and grammatical errors.
- When expressing ownership of something, use apostrophes. For instance, business's needs, clients' demands, etc.
- Use the past tense for prior employment and the present tense for current job obligations.
- To convey a clear message, use active voice rather than passive voice.
For Example:
On a daily basis, I get and process 50+ requests.
50+ requests were received and handled on a daily basis.
- Avoid using the third person to write about yourself. Your resume is the document you produce from a personal standpoint. Therefore, you must ensure that you are not cut off from the experiences and accomplishments listed there.
For Example:
Creative Designer seeking a position at IT lab XYZ.
Omar is a creative designer seeking a position at IT Lab XYZ.
A recruiter typically reads a resume for no more than 5-7 seconds. In these brief moments, if your CV doesn't grab their attention, they will simply go on to the next applicant. Therefore, it's crucial to style your resume effectively so that the hiring manager can quickly and readily identify the important information they're looking for.
Check out these CV examples for inspiration.
Your resume should be appealing, scannable, organized, and formal. Here are a few factors to take into account while formatting a resume.
- Avoid large, continuous paragraphs of text. Instead, use bulleted points.
- Pick a particular font and color scheme, then use it consistently across the whole resume.
- Use suitable white space and maintain a line spacing of 1.0 to 1.15 points between words to properly differentiate the sections of your resume.
- Use a template to create a resume rather than starting from scratch. You'll spend less time on formatting and more time crafting your CV if you do it this way.
For further advice on how to organise your CV effectively. See our guide on formatting a resume.
Nobody wants to read the book when it comes to CVs. As a result, keep your CV to no more than a one or two-page maximum. If that isn't possible, make the top page stand out so your new boss notices it and moves on to the rest.
Either way, going overboard or slicing things too finely will make it more likely that your CV will be overlooked. Many people try to condense their experiences onto a single page since they've heard resumes shouldn't be any more than one page. Other applicants are attempting to alter their irrelevant experience in order to obtain a bonus point. Avoid listing every experience and accomplishment you've had; instead, just include job experience that is relevant to the post you're applying for. If you're looking for a marketing position, your new boss doesn't care about your accounting background.
A CV shouldn't be your entire history; rather, it should be a brief, focused document that is tailored to the position you are looking for. So a résumé of 1-2 pages should be enough.
Finding it difficult to fit your CV on a single page? Take a look at our one-page resume templates.
When applying for jobs, it's essential to arrange your resume such that it properly matches the position you're seeking. If you use the same CV for every job application, you may come out as lazy or uninterested in the position.
As a result, the resume should be customised for each employment opportunity you're looking for. It may take a little more time, but personalising your CV for each job application makes you stand out in the recruiter's eyes and indicates that you're applying for their position rather than merely sending emails to every firm you find on the internet.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when personalising your CV for a certain employment.
- Do your homework on the business; read the about page; and learn what services they offer.
- Carefully read the job description and underline the tasks, duties, talents, and experience that they consider essential.
- When preparing your CV, be sure to include all of the required experience and abilities listed in the job description.
- It is not necessary to provide all of the experience and abilities listed in the job description. Rather, look for the ones that are relevant to the position you are applying for.
Interests are topics that fascinate you and make you want to learn more about them. Interests are typically focused on learning and discovering new ideas, concepts, and facts, such as history, animal behaviour, or pop culture.
A hobby is a recreational activity. Hobbies are something that people undertake in their spare time and for no money. Hobbies may be anything from participating in creative and artistic activities to playing sports to collecting items like coins or stamps.
It is optional to include hobbies and interests in your CV, however it might help you stand out from the crowd. A section on hobbies and interests in your CV will not get you employed on its own, but it may be a useful addition to your resume.
Every piece of information on your CV should be valuable. You typically have 1-2 pages to describe why you're qualified and well-positioned for the post. The recruiting managers do not have the time to read through each part.
Many applicants believe that including references on a CV makes them appear more open and trustworthy. That, however, is not the case. A resume is often required at the start of the job application process, whereas references are typically requested later in the recruiting process.
So, on the CV, references are simply a list of names that take up space that may be better used if you include other experiences, abilities, and projects.
Your CV should demonstrate how outstanding you are at your work, but it's all too easy to fall into the trap of merely stating your responsibilities.
As an example,
- Taking Customer Calls
- Attending Client Meetings
- Maintaining departmental files
The examples above are job descriptions, and employers aren't as concerned with what you've done as they are with what you've accomplished in your different tasks.
Instead of highlighting your job tasks, focus on your accomplishments when presenting your work experience.
As an example,
Driven 86,000+ visitors to the website in 2022, resulting in 4700+ sales.
Responsible for increasing website visitors.
The first example in the above line is achievement, while the second example is work responsibility. The first example provides specific details on how the candidate performed in their role. In the second scenario, the applicant was obviously in charge of driving traffic to the website; were they competent at their job? How much traffic do they generate, and how does this affect sales?
A good resume should have a logical development and a clear structure so that anyone reads it quickly gets an idea of your career. A professional resume template, such as the one shown below, will assist you in avoiding layout and design issues.
When it comes to resume layout, seek for designs that:
- Have clear section headings.
- Use a visible font, such as Ubuntu, Roboto, Arial, or Helvetica.
- Are visually appealing by using bulleted points, a splash of color, a consistent design, and white space around the margins.
- Make an impression: black and white CVs are out of date; instead, choose something that strikes the recruiter's eye.
Don't know where to begin your search? Then have a look at our resume templates. We provide customised, ATS-friendly CV templatesfor all kinds of jobs.
The major and first item that might catch the recruiter's attention is using a professional-looking email address. A recruiter will probably not even bother to read the attachment if they receive a CV from "IloveUK@domain.com."
Make sure your email address is both professional and aesthetically pleasing. We recommend using the following format:
In that regard. Choose Outlook over older email services like Hotmail or Yahoo. This demonstrates that you are somewhat technologically adept.
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a sort of software used by major firms all over the world to scan your CV for certain keywords and experience. If your CV does not include the appropriate keywords, it will be immediately rejected before a recruiter gets an opportunity to examine it.
Employers utilise this software to quickly sort through thousands of possible candidates. This software assists organizations in finding the perfect employee with the necessary skills and experience more quickly.
As a result, it's critical to optimize your CV for application tracking systems by highlighting the crucial needs for your position.
Mehwish Omar
I did my hardest to present you with all of the information you need on this subject in a simple and understandable manner. However, if you have any difficulties understanding this concept or have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I'll try my best to meet your requirements.
Editor's Choice
Top IT Careers to Switch to in 2024: Web Dev, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity
Explore the top IT careers in 2024, including Web Development, Digital Marketing, UX/UI Design, Cloud Computing...
How to Structure a Professional CV: Tips for Formatting & Content
When applying for employment, your CV, which stands for curriculum vitae, or resume, is the thing that gets...
4 Proven Strategies for Trading Support and Resistance Levels
Support and resistance is a technical analysis concept that states that when a stock's price reaches a specific, pre-determined price level, it usually...
Price Action Trading - 04 Things to Consider Before Making a Trade
Without depending on indicators, news, or views, price action trading allows us to better comprehend the timing of our market entrance and exits. However...