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Resume mistakes every job seeker should avoid

Everyone knows there are certain sins of resume writing that ought to be avoided, such as flagrant typos, the use of personal pronouns, or even worse, writing in third person. Imagine a recruiter’s confusion if, while reading a resume, he or she read, “He took steps which not only directly impacted productivity and the bottom line, but which recouped $3,000,000 in lost profits from the year prior.” Is the applicant talking about himself? Someone else? Besides these blunders, however, there are other mistakes which aren’t quite as evident, such as formatting mistakes or listing telephone numbers with overseas area codes. Although some of these mistakes may seem small, they could potentially have a huge impact on how your resume is received.

A ResumeBear article, titled 15 Deadly But Often-made Resume Blunders to Avoid, recounts these mistakes. And although some may seem more serious than others, each mistake, if made, could be the fatal flaw which keeps your resume out of the “Interview” stack.

  1. Letting typos slip through.
  2. Inappropriate e-mail address.
  3. Listing irrelevant, non-job-related information.
  4. Poor formatting.
  5. Use of personal pronouns.
  6. Trying to sound “well-rounded.”
  7. Self-depreciation.
  8. Bragging.
  9. Focusing on responsibilities instead of achievements.
  10. Important skills buried at the bottom.
  11. Lack of bullet points.
  12. Listing references directly on the resume.
  13. The “more is better” mentality.
  14. Resume sent as an attachment without you knowing how it’ll look.
  15. Passive-aggressiveness.

While each of the above may seem like common sense mistakes, there are a few which seem almost counterintuitive, perhaps none more than, “Trying to sound ‘well-rounded.’” One might consider the idiom, “jack of all trades and master of none.” Even if you have diverse experience, recruiters want to see what skills and knowledge you have which meets their specific needs. Build your resume around the description of the position for which you are applying. Composing a focused, pointed resume will underscore those relevant qualifications and professional skills you want a recruiter to see.

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