Your Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) needs to be professional, well-organized and shining, because if your resume isn’t well-written, it probably won’t get a second glance from any hiring manager.
Here are top ten mistakes that you shouldn’t do while writing a resume:
- Not enough information. A resume needs to be concise, but some of us go too far and provide only the briefest of overviews. Hiring managers won’t be able to interview everyone. They need to make the initial short listing decision based purely on the information you have provided. Unless the company specifically requests otherwise, always try to fill two A4 pages.
- Too much information. Come on, nobody is interested in your elementary school or your college internship projects (unless you’re not newly graduated). Eliminate unnecessary information.
- Saying why you left. Don’t include reasons why you are leaving your current employer or why you may have already left. However, be prepared for the question if it comes up in the interview and keep in mind, even if it may be true, “the salary was too low” is not a good answer.
- Too much technical jargon. Bear in mind that it is likely that your CV will initially go to a HR Manager, who may not have the industry knowledge or level of technical understanding.
- Unnecessary formatting. Do NOT use different fonts in your resume. Black is the best font color. Do not use weird fonts like comic sans.
- Using a cutesy email account to send the resume. Any email arriving from beautiful87@ or bigboy79@… no other explanation required here.
- Using friends as references. Even if you’re newly graduated, do not use your friends as references. If possible, use your teachers instead.
- Sending your resume as an email attachment. Unless requested specifically, do not send your resume as an email attachment. Instead, put the CV text directly into the email itself. Receiver’s spam detection system may marks your email as spam because of the attachment.
- Appearing boastful. Although a resume is a marketing tool, there is a big difference between self promotion and appearing boastful.
- Lying. This does not need further explanation.
