Are you making these mistakes on your resume?

It's tough to clear the first step of getting your resume shortlisted by the recruiters, leave alone getting hired. Here are some cringe-worthy resume gaffes to be avoided for that eye-catching resume.

In today’s competitive times, it’s tough to clear the first step of getting your resume shortlisted by the recruiters, leave alone getting hired. And, for sure, you don’t need those smallest of mistakes on your resume to send it to the recycling bin in the first thirty seconds.

 

Though best practices change from time-to-time, some tips are timeless! Here are some cringe-worthy resume gaffes to be avoided for that eye-catching resume:

It’s a resume, not a book! Yes, we’ve heard it enough, however, how to include six or seven years of experience in just a single page. Just remember that good things, when short, are twice as good. “We receive thousands of resumes and are just looking for a reason to exclude yours,” adds HR head of a top IT company. (Also read: Best resumes are not longer than two pages)

Careless errors: Spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and grammatical errors – absolute no-no! Do you want to give the employers an impression that you don’t pay attention to details? I am sure, not! Running a spell check is not enough. Read through it at least twice to avoid mistakes, otherwise difficult to catch. Proofread and don’t just reply on spell-check!

Tailor-made resumes, the best thing to do: What you exclude is as important a decision as to what you include. Including information that doesn’t contribute is strictly to be avoided. Remember – Employers don’t have the time to read about each and every company you have worked for. Include only the jobs that are relevant to the position applied for.

 

Keep it simple: Unless you are applying for a designer’s job, steer clear of weird formatting, elaborate designs, including too many jargon and usage of abbreviation in your resume. A coloured-paper resume or a resume with decorative design is absolutely unacceptable. It’s a resume, not an invitation card! Design it in a way that recruiters can read it easily and process information quickly. (Also read: Common resume mistakes)

 

Adding ineffective information: Ever wondered what purpose does an objective serve other than telling the employer what you are looking for in the next job you join! Including hobbies that don’t complement the position applied for or mentioning about achievements that cannot be validated can put you in a bad light. Avoid them. (Also read: 5 resume must haves)

 

References – include or exclude? Of course, you have references but including them in your resume could spell – Danger! Your references may not be prepared to accommodate their responses when contacted without prior information. Recruiters will cross-check your details whether you mention about your references or not. Then, why waste paper.

 

The main objective of your resume is to let the potential employer know that you are best suited for the job. Don’t let these silly mistakes impede your goal. Good luck!