The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
When we review people’s resumes, we often see a basic document with lackluster content and outdated formatting. These are pretty common, but what we also see are resumes that contain some pretty fundamental mistakes. Here are some examples of things to not do:
1. Under the document properties section of your resume, make sure it shows you as the author of your documents. Having someone else’s name there, particularly if the name is completely different from yours, can make employers wonder. At worst, it suggests that you borrowed (or copied) heavily from another person’s document.
2. Include basic contact information. It always surprises me to see a resume in which someone has not included a mailing address, as many employers do still mail rejection letters. Also, the phone number you include on your resume ideally should be a line that only you can access. The e-mail address you use should be a personal address, not your e-mail address at your current job. I would also encourage you to include your customized LinkedIn URL. It makes it easier for the employer to research you and you get to ensure they are finding the right “you” on LinkedIn.
3. Make sure the layout of all your bullets, paragraphs, and sections is consistent. Use the same type of bullet in every section. Use the same font throughout your resume. If you need to get creative, you can bold, italicize, underline, or change colors, but using more than one font is distracting.
4. A good resume combines bullets and paragraphs. Using only one or the other creates a document that strains the reader’s eyes. Although the primary focus of your resume should be on your accomplishments from each previous job, offering the reader a short summary of what each job actually was gives him an important context for what you contributed at each company.
By checking your resume for these basic mistakes, you will create a better resume and increase your chances of landing the coveted interview. These are only some of the points that will ensure resume success. A certified resume writer can offer many more strategies and details that will ensure resume success.
Author: Jessica Holbrook Hernandez is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter.
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