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Common Resume Mistakes

Common Resume Mistakes

As much as writing a resume is not an English test, you have to demonstrate competency by making it presentable and grammatically perfect. There are also guidelines to be followed to increase your chances of getting considered for an interview, and if lucky enough hired.

1. Listing skills you don’t have

When writing a resume, a large number of candidates have a tendency to list skills or experience they don’t have. They believe this will increase chances for getting hired. Think of what will happen if you claim to have some skills, but when screened for those skills during interview, you fail! Worse yet, think of getting hired, but failing to deliver when assigned duties requiring the skills or experience you claim to have! Never list skills that do not have.

2. Using a non-employer specific resume

Using “non-employer” specific resumes is one of the serious mistakes candidates make. Employers will only see you as a serious applicant if you write a resume specifically written for them. You have to look at the requirements of each job you apply for, and write a resume that shows you are fit for each position. Try to address the cover letter to a specific person within a company.

3. Writing a resume full or errors

Submitting or sending a resume full of spelling errors, typos, and grammatical mistakes gives a bad “first impression”. Make sure you proofread your resume thoroughly before sending to employers even if you are not applying for a job as an editor. Most employers will immediately discard a resume that is full of errors without giving it a second thought. This is something you can prevent by spending a few minutes to proofread.

4. Forgetting to include keywords

If you are sending a resume in soft copy format, forgetting to include relevant keywords is another mistake that can cost you. You may use a keyword search tool to know which ones to include in your resume. Modern employees use keyword sensitive software to filter/select relevant resumes. No matter your qualifications, the resume won’t have much of a chance for further consideration if you don’t use the right industry-specific keywords when writing.

5. Using the wrong tense

Using the wrong tense in a resume can have serious consequences. Make sure you use the correct tense. When describing what you already did while in school or at your former workplace, remember to use past tense. When referring to current academic undertaking(s) job(s) or project(s), remember to use the present tense.

6. Forgetting to update

If you don’t regularly update your resume, you may end up with outdated information which will cost you.

Contact Snap Editing if you want a resume free of mistakes.