Your resume is your first point of contact with a potential employer. It’s important that you pay careful attention to detail, look professional, and give the employer no reason not to hire you. Here are a few resume mistakes to avoid:
1. Incorrect Information
The section of your resume that details your name, address, e-mail, and phone number is often overlooked. It’s usually written out first, and left unchanged as you tinker with the rest of the document. It is crucial that you check this section for grammatical errors and incorrect information. If an employer reaches out to the wrong email, you’re missing an opportunity.
2. Getting too Personal
Your resume shouldn’t make you sound like a robot, but it shouldn’t go overboard, either. Information like what you did last weekend or a long list of your hobbies is not relevant, and is not interesting to the employer.
3. Busy Design
A resume should be a reflection of your creativity and personality, especially if you are applying for an art or design-related job. When building your resume on InDesign, Photoshop, or Microsoft Word, operate with the principle that less is more. Use bold, simple lines and keep your font and font size uniform throughout, allowing for a maximum of two different fonts.
4. Sending Mass Resume Emails
This is asking for trouble. Employers are on the lookout for the mass resume, and will take it as a sign that you aren’t serious about the position. Employers are looking for resumes that are specifically tailored to their business. A personalized resume shows that you put in the extra effort, and took the time to curate a professional, thorough document.
5. Submitting a Boring Resume
Nothing gets tossed faster than a boring resume. Avoid generic statements, and show instead of tell. Use active language to convey action, and don’t forget to include your accomplishments. For jobs in the creative industry, you have a lot of artistic freedom. Search the web for some imaginative ideas.
6. Avoid Me, My and I
No employer enjoys reading a resume riddled with “I,” “Me,” and “My.” These words bog down your text and, even if unintentional, can sound pompous. An employer will be impressed if you write an entire resume without using these words.
Curating the right resume can be time-consuming, but will pay off in the end. If you are considering hiring a professional to help you build a stellar resume, get in touch with Fast and Focused Resume Service today. Whether you need an entry-level, executive, or professional resume, or a revamping of your LinkedIn profile, Fast and Focused Resume Service has you covered.
To Your Success!
Tim
Your Vancouver Resume Writer