Resumes are the most significant asset or the biggest liability for a candidate. Being the most important document ever written about a candidate, it is surprising how little time and thought is used in creating resumes.
Does this sound like you? The bad news about this is that your resume is actually hurting you. If you cannot get an interview after sending your resume to a recruiter, posting it on a website or sending it to a company, your resume is not selling you. Without proper sales, you cannot get a job interview. If you cannot get a job interview, you cannot find a job. Why then do candidates continue to use the same resume even if it does not work for them is unclear.
Studies have shown that Recruiters and Employers will not spend too much time reviewing a resume. If in 30 seconds to a minute, the resume does not grab their attention, it will be discarded.
Some common errors in resumes are:
Resume Error #1 - Candidates Career Objectives are unclear. Many resumes show Career Objectives that specify what the candidate wants for himself. What are you bringing to an employer? That is an important area to be covered in a Career Objective.
Managers are looking for candidates who are clear in their objective and thinking. Sadly, this aspect is missing from a number of resumes. To sell yourself, I propose a clear and concise objectives. The subsequent writing in the resume needs to relate to the Career Objectives. Many readers will not read beyond Career Objectives as this can be the basis on which a candidate is seen to be clear or unclear.
Resume Error #2 - Key Skills and Competencies of the candidate are not identified. I have come across many resumes where key skills and competencies are not written. The Resume reader is left to identify these by reading the resume. If an organisation is looking for certain key skills and competencies in a resume, not identifying these means that the initial scan reveals that the candidate is not qualified for the role.
It is therefore critical that key skills and competencies are identified.
Resume Error #3 - Your Resume is not Achievements Driven - Your resume should not just list dates, jobs and duties statement. Under every single job, you should list your outstanding achievements. Many candidates I have spoken to are at a loss to identify their achievements even in conversation. Not listing achievements means that you are missing out on vital roles.
To further sell yourself, you must have a clear and concise list of experience and achievements.
Resume Blunder #4 - There are no Industry Key Words in the resume. Aptitude job seekers must utilise the net to search for and include industry key words. Many organisations receive hundreds of resumes in these depressed economic times. Having a number of key industry words in your resume gives you an edge over anyone else.
Resume Blunder #5 - The Resume is too long and filled with duty statements. Resumes must only be two to three pages in length maximum. If you are an older worker, do not list all your previous positions. You will look overqualified to a reader. In addition, the reader could roughly calculate your age and you could then be the victim of age discrimination.
Lengthy resumes remain unread and do not attract attention of the recruiter.
As you can see, these mistakes and many others act against you in your quest to search for suitable work. These blunders cause delays. Even when you get a job, others with lesser qualifications receive more salary than you do.
Investment in a good resume is a critical first step to your job search. Talk to a professional who writes hundreds of individual resumes and has the market knowledge to be able to create an effective resume for you. Many candidates do not realize the importance of being different from others. A professional resume writer has years of experience and can be a key asset to your job search.
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