Resumes, what is the first word that comes to your mind when you hear it? Well for me it is like your professional life story.
Your resume reflects everything you have done so far on the professional front and tells the employer what you are good at but you don’t want them to think you are good at very limited things. Even though you are a fresher and don’t have a lot of skills, some frequently made mistakes can drain out your application from the many. Today will list a few common mistakes people make while writing their resumes and how to avoid them!
- Tailor your resume for each job application
This might sound like a boring and tiresome job to do but tailoring your resume mentioning keywords that are mentioned in the job profile, increases your chances of getting selected for the next round.
Different companies have different needs; a well-written resume shows how you can fulfil the company’s needs.
- Don’t use clichés
There are a set of words that any HR executive will see in tons of resumes, they are:
- Hardworking
- Go-getter
- Team player
- Ambitious
- Results-driven
- Proactive
- Self-starter
- Enthusiastic
- Flexible
- Exceptional
Well, these words are bygones, it is time to be more specific – something that the company is looking for. Instead of using these overused action words, you can use action words in a sentence,
For example: ‘Facilitated creative training for over 200+ new trainees.’
- Grammar and Spelling errors
When you are applying for competitive job positions, there is a chance that a single typo may lose your chance of getting that job. Your resume must be grammatically correct and professional. Before you send the resumes, proofread them carefully.
- Don’t use unprofessional fonts
No matter how beautiful those fonts look at your resume, it doesn’t attract your potential employers. Many good looking fonts make your resume look unprofessional. Avoid using fonts like Courier, Impact, Papyrus and Comic Sans. Handwriting fonts like Lucida is also a big no as it is difficult to read.
- Don’t make long resumes
This is a mistake even I made when I first made my resume. Too long resumes are tiring to read for employers and in so much resume traffic, they might just reject reading it just because of its length. Follow a hierarchy while you write your resume that goes like this:
- Jobs / Summer Jobs
- Internships
- Volunteer experience
- Skills
- Hobbies and Interest
- Certifications
- High school/school grades
I bet they barely care about your school grades and are more interested in what skills you have. Make a resume that when someone starts reading it, they get to know your best skills and what can you bring to the company.
So here are a few common mistakes people make while they are writing resumes, do you want to know more about it? Then we will be back with another list very soon.
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