One of the worst things that can happen when applying for a job is getting rejected because of a few mistakes on your resume. In order to present a strong application, even the small details on the resume are important and should be payed attention to. Through our experience in reviewing resumes we have found many errors, and there are some mistakes that job seekers should definitely try to avoid.
1. SPELLING MISTAKES
Typos are a common mistake many people make on their resume. This can be especially difficult to avoid for those who are writing their resume in a language that is not their native one. However, this can easily be avoided by utilizing tools such as spell check, or having someone proofread the resume before sending. Be careful with capitalizing; only the beginning of sentences and proper nouns such as names or titles should be capitalized. A resume with many spelling mistakes shows a lack of attention to detail and professionalism and can make reading the resume difficult.
2. VARYING VERB TENSES
Another frequent mistake we see on many resumes is varying verb tenses. When describing past responsibilities in previous roles, duties and achievements should be written in past tense, and responsibilities in the current position should be in present tense. Having varying tenses throughout the resume affects the flow of the document, and can make the resume choppy and confusing to read.
3. TOO MUCH REPETITION
Beginning each line on your resume with the same wording becomes too repetitive and devalues each individual statement. If possible, change the wording to better emphasize each responsibility and to avoid beginning each point with the same set phrase. Additionally, if many of your positions have similar responsibilities, highlighting the different achievements in each role can add more variety and bring back value to the statements.
Below is an example of a common format found on resumes
Responsible for managing Marketing team
Responsible for implementing marketing strategies
Responsible for conducting market segment analysis
Rather than repeatedly stating “Responsible for,” describing the responsibilities with action words, such as managed, developed, and conducted, provides more emphasis to each statement. As well, by adding more detail each point becomes more effective and valuable.
Managed and mentored a 15 person marketing team
Developed and implemented marketing goals and strategies across APAC division
Conducted market research and segment analysis to determine areas of development
Paying attention to the small details on a resume can sometimes be a deciding factor between an interview request and a rejection. In order to present their best resume, we recommend job seekers pay attention to the details to avoid making these common mistakes.
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