Common Resume Writing Mistakes

When you are writing your resume, you want to do a great job, right? You know you are going to need an awesome resume to get you on your way to an interview. Doesn't it make sense to present your credentials in the most amazing way possible so the employer can't help but call you for an interview? This is the general opinion that would make sense, and yet, resumes end up on the desks of human resources personnel every day that are distinctive in their absolute inattention to detail. If you want your resume to be a good one that gets read, you must avoid the mistakes listed below.

Everything on this list is simply common sense, but it does help to be prepared. One of the reasons these mistakes are often made is that some job candidates have no idea how to create a professional document, and they are also unwilling to take the time to learn how to do it. Also, many people are just too lazy to be bothered. They also do not want to spend the time it takes to compose a great resume, much less proofread their material after they are done. Employers have no time to waste on people who are not going to make the effort to ensure their resume is free of errors. Those are not the kind of people they are looking to hire. Here is a list of common sense tips to help you avoid mistakes:

·        Take the time to create a professional resume that stands out because it is exactly what employers are looking for. You will be far ahead of the competition.

·        Proofread all your material and then proofread it again. Be sure to use your spell check options. If you have to, have your neighbors, friends, family and anyone else you can get, review your resume for you. Ask them to look for typos and grammar errors.

·        Do not use small fonts like those that are size 9 and under. Do not use too many different fonts in the same document either. An employer is going to scan your resume, not fully read it. If the type is hard to read or is difficult to follow, no one is going to spend any time on it at all. Keep the type to at least a 10 point font and use only one font at a time. Make it easy on the person who is going to be reading it.

·        Know that if your resume highlights your previous or current job duties but omits the actual skills you have mastered or the accomplishments you have made, the person who reads it will not be able to see your special talents and abilities.

·        Make sure you focus your attention on what you have to offer rather than what your responsibilities were in your past jobs. Whenever it is at all possible you should include numbers with your statements. Instead of saying you "helped the company," you should explain how you did it. You have to be specific because vague assertions have no value.

·        Do not get so wrapped up in the way the resume is supposed to look that you forget to address what it is supposed to get across.

·        Be clear with what you want to say. Do not ramble on and repeat yourself over and over again. This will only make your resume too hard to scan through.

·        Do not use colored or scented paper. It may look cute to see that in movies, like "Legally Blonde," but in real life it is just annoying and detracts from the overall impression of the resume.

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