There’s a lot of pressure when it comes to writing a resume. Should you show your creativity? Show your professionalism? Try something out of the box, or stay traditional? Recruiters can tell in under a minute of looking at your resume if they want to pursue a phone or in-person interview. That leaves you little time to wow with your resume.
Before applying for your dream job, look out for nightmarish blunders that make your resume stand out for the wrong reasons.
KEEP YOUR RESUME SCAN-ABLE
At first glance, a recruiter is looking for a streamlined resume that doesn’t rely on gimmicky graphics or over-thought content. Scan your resume as a recruiter would. You want it to look clean, not cluttered.
SKIP THE OBJECTIVE
When you’re applying for a job, the person reviewing your resume knows your main objective is to, well, get a job. Sure, out of college they tell you to show that you want to use X,Y and Z skills, but it’s 100% unnecessary. Recruiters are looking for a resume that shows what you are qualified to do, not what you’re hoping to someday do.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU LIST AS “SKILLS”
Applying for a job in 2013 is different than ever before, because by now, people know their way around the Web. You don’t need to list that you are proficient in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Power Point etc. By now, those are basic programs that every applicant should have a working knowledge of. Putting “Microsoft Office” is enough.
The same goes for social media – you might think it looks great on your resume to show that you have experience on Facebook and Twitter, but in reality so do most middle school’ers’. Unless you managed the Facebook page of a major company, skip the social media.
PUT RELEVANT EXPERIENCE FIRST
Remember how we said that you have limited time to make an impact with your resume? Do just that by showcasing your relevant experience. Ultimately, this is one of the most important aspects of getting hired. You have to show that you have the skills and have actually used them in a previous job, and that a recruiter won’t be wasting their time by following up with an interview.
When listing all that great experience, take the time to make sure you have past work experience in past tense, and your present job in present tense. This adds an extra layer of detail to your resume.
Because it’s so easy to point and click to send a resume, it’s also easy to make mistakes. Take the time to make sure that the resume you’re sending is error free. Follow these easy resume writing tips and prepare to get hired!
ABOUT AUTHOR:
This is a guest post by Sara Hart, a writer and blogger focused on resume writing and also how technology and Internet, like http://www.centurylinkdeals.com/internet/, affect the workplace.
