Ten Common Mistakes in Resumes

A resume is a document which contains relevant information about the job experience, educational background and professional details of an individual seeking a job. Resumes speak for the professional in you. It is your resume which highlights your credentials, relevant work experience and expertise in the industry. It is the first step toward achieving a job position.

A resume should be compelling as it is the first impression an employer gets about a professional. If a resume is erroneous or badly presented, a person applying for position in a reputed company has less chance of being selected for the company. Below are the 10 most common mistakes people should avoid resumes:

1. Lengthy Descriptions: Avoid lengthy and vague descriptions in your resume. Lengthy descriptions are not just a waste of time, they also make the employer to lose interest in you. Lengthy resumes are often ignored or skimmed over. Your ability in a particular niche maybe overlooked by an employer. To avoid trouble, frame your resume in a crisp, to-the-point addressing style. Most of the time employers first pick the resume with limited words. They see it as less time consuming and prefer them for the applicant’s ability to put things together shortly. So, prepare your resume with short and simple descriptions.
2. Grammatical mistakes: Grammatical errors can be glaring in a resume. Even if a particular error is a typo, it spoils your reputation and presents you as an inexperienced or low-grade professional. Your experience and technical qualification will go unnoticed in such a case. Grammatical mistakes are your worst enemy and should be avoided at all costs. Once you finish preparing your resume, run it through for several grammatical checks. You can even approach a language expert or English professional to do this.
3. Focus on important things: Don’t keep your personal information like your father’s name, name of your school, college and family details etc in the very first page of the resume. Try to focus on career-oriented details, professional skills like your experience, technology or area of expertise in the first few sections of your resume. A clear and concise resume will grab the attention of employers immediately. This is especially true if employers are looking for professionals with expertise in specified areas.
4. Presentation: Presentation is crucial to a resume. A clumsy, badly-formatted resume would make the worst impression on employers. Make your resume as professional and legible/readable as possible. Avoid choosing fonts and colors that are disturbing or hard to understand. Do not decorate your resume with too many colors. Instead choose a good paper, use professional fonts and colors in a proper and pleasing format. Present your resume clearly and confidently.
5. Don’t praise yourself: Highlight your achievements but don’t blow your own trumpet. Don’t keep on describing your achievements, rewards and awards. You must show all those in your resume but it  should be done subtly not pompously.  Make your resume effective, not bombastic or hyperbolic. At any cost the readers shouldn’t be annoyed reading your credentials.
6. Mistakes in Cover letters: Committing mistakes in cover letters will make a reader neglect your resume. Do not give the same cover letter to all the employers. You should learn to customize the letter and even the resume if you need to be a best fit to the firm. Write a short cover letter that addresses the question – in what way you are qualified for the position. Don’t forget to sign in the cover letter.
7. Don’t be Negative: Know your weakness. Make your profile valid. If you are a fresher hoping for a job with exceptional skills and if you think that your profile is still valid and suitable, make a move. Just highlight your skills in a manner which should pull employers to view your resume and  select you over an experienced candidate.
8. False information: Be true. Giving false information in your resume will keep you out of the competition. You would never be given a second opportunity at the same firm. Write whatever you know and possess. Be true to yourself. Your attitude will surely bring you better opportunities.
9. Avoid plagiarism: Don’t copy your friend’s resume or someone else’s resume. Remember the other person is different from you. He or she might have written it to describe his/her skills in a way suitable for a particular job. Think and write whatever is applicable or whichever suits you the best. Avoid rewriting or using the whitener to wrap unless you are in a worst situation.
10. Fast Preparation: Your resume is the gateway to your career. So, at any cost, avoid preparing your resume in a hurry. Even if you have limited time, don’t  forget to double check it once it is complete. It is good to check with the higher professional.

Please keep the above stated 10 common points in mind while preparing your resume. Then, go ahead, attend the interview without any fear. Success is all yours and it is in your hands. All the best!

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