Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.
The video below from Fast Company highlights three resume mistakes to avoid, including using the same resume for multiple jobs. Check out the video to learn more.
Showing posts with label common resume mistakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label common resume mistakes. Show all posts
Monday, August 12, 2019
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Three Common Resume Lies and How You Will Get Caught
Whether or not you have a job as visible as the head coach of Yale's football team or Yahoo's CEO, an alarming rate of people lie on their resumes. There are websites out there dedicated to the art of falsifying information. The statistics are different, depending on who is conducting the study. However, consistently more than 50% of people have admitted to fabricating information on their resume.
Most often, people lie on resumes to make themselves look good - or at least better than the truth! However, with so much detailed information about our private lives now publicly accessible via the internet, there are too many inexpensive ways a company can find out the truth. Let's look at some of the most common lies and see how an employer might discover the true facts about you.
Dates of Employment
It may just be failure to keep good records that keeps you from using the right dates. However, incorrect dates is one of the most common untruths out there. Many people have been unemployed for extended periods of time and want to cover that gap. Although this is one of the most common lies, it is easily verified with reference checks or even a simple check of your resume dates against your LinkedIn profile.
Education
It is perfectly acceptable to list a degree "in progress" or partially completed. However, what is not acceptable is claiming to have completed your degree, when you are in fact 57 credits from completion. Accu-Screen estimates that 16% of degrees are falsified and that 15% of job seekers will also falsify technical training or education. A very simple, inexpensive background check can reveal the truth.
Criminal Records
Job seekers with a criminal history are concerned that their negative law enforcement history will stop companies from making the hiring decision. This fear is grounded in reality, as this can prevent a company from giving you a shot. However, don't completely ruin your chances at landing a new job by lying on your resume or application about this key factor. Your criminal record does show up with the simplest, and most inexpensive background investigation. Therefore, address any convictions ahead of time and tell your (brief) story of what you have learned and how you have changed since your conviction.
Most often, people lie on resumes to make themselves look good - or at least better than the truth! However, with so much detailed information about our private lives now publicly accessible via the internet, there are too many inexpensive ways a company can find out the truth. Let's look at some of the most common lies and see how an employer might discover the true facts about you.
Dates of Employment
It may just be failure to keep good records that keeps you from using the right dates. However, incorrect dates is one of the most common untruths out there. Many people have been unemployed for extended periods of time and want to cover that gap. Although this is one of the most common lies, it is easily verified with reference checks or even a simple check of your resume dates against your LinkedIn profile.
Education
It is perfectly acceptable to list a degree "in progress" or partially completed. However, what is not acceptable is claiming to have completed your degree, when you are in fact 57 credits from completion. Accu-Screen estimates that 16% of degrees are falsified and that 15% of job seekers will also falsify technical training or education. A very simple, inexpensive background check can reveal the truth.
Criminal Records
Job seekers with a criminal history are concerned that their negative law enforcement history will stop companies from making the hiring decision. This fear is grounded in reality, as this can prevent a company from giving you a shot. However, don't completely ruin your chances at landing a new job by lying on your resume or application about this key factor. Your criminal record does show up with the simplest, and most inexpensive background investigation. Therefore, address any convictions ahead of time and tell your (brief) story of what you have learned and how you have changed since your conviction.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Grammar Lessons for Job Seekers
I meet HR managers and recruiters all the time that tell me when they see a resume with spelling or grammatical errors, in their eyes the candidate is no longer considered. If this were the case for all employers, our nation's unemployment rate would be much higher. However, whether you consider yourself a spelling and grammar expert or not, the bottom line is that your resume is a paper representation of you. If it is full of mistakes and errors, in the employers eyes this is how you do your job.
One of the biggest issues I see when looking at resumes is the use of the homophones. Homophones are those tricky words that are pronounced the same, yet can have different spelling and meanings. Below I have gathered together - and clarified the use of - a list of the most common homophones that I see on resumes.
Led / Lead
The word lead is one of the trickiest on the list. What it means depends on how you pronounce the word. Lead (pronounced leed) can mean the act of showing the way, guiding, or directing. The word led is the past tense of the word lead. However, many people often use the word lead (pronounced like led) as the past tense of the verb "to lead," when actually this word refers to a soft metal. They led the team down to the lead mine.
Affect / Effect
The easiest way to remember the difference is that affect is a verb that means to produce a change while effect is a noun that is refers to the change it produces. Rising gas prices affect everyone. The effect of higher prices is immediate.
There / Their / They're
There is a location. Their is the possessive form of they. They're is a contraction of the two words they are. Here is a sentence that contains all three words: They're going to walk because their car is over there across the street.
Its / It's
When you want to contract the words it is or it has you use it's. When you are speaking in terms of the possessive you don't use the apostrophe and it is written its. It's cold outside so the dog laid in its bed.
Pique / Peek / Peak
You pique someone's interest or emotions. You quickly or furtively glance when you peek. The peak is the highest level of a mountain, frequency, volume, or intensity. After peeking at the peak of the mountain, my interest in climbing is piqued.
Your / You're
Your is simply the possessive form of you. You're is a contraction of the words you are. You're going to get sicker if you don't take your medicine.
Whose / Who's
This is very similar to its/it's and your/you're. You use whose as the possessive form of whom or who. Who's is a contraction of the words who is. Who's the lady whose family is waiting in the lobby?
Patients / Patience
Patients is the plural word that refers to people under medical care. Patience is the quality of being patient or being willing and able to suppress restlessness or annoyance. The patients were losing patience with the long wait time to see the doctor.
One of the biggest issues I see when looking at resumes is the use of the homophones. Homophones are those tricky words that are pronounced the same, yet can have different spelling and meanings. Below I have gathered together - and clarified the use of - a list of the most common homophones that I see on resumes.
Led / Lead
The word lead is one of the trickiest on the list. What it means depends on how you pronounce the word. Lead (pronounced leed) can mean the act of showing the way, guiding, or directing. The word led is the past tense of the word lead. However, many people often use the word lead (pronounced like led) as the past tense of the verb "to lead," when actually this word refers to a soft metal. They led the team down to the lead mine.
Affect / Effect
The easiest way to remember the difference is that affect is a verb that means to produce a change while effect is a noun that is refers to the change it produces. Rising gas prices affect everyone. The effect of higher prices is immediate.
There / Their / They're
There is a location. Their is the possessive form of they. They're is a contraction of the two words they are. Here is a sentence that contains all three words: They're going to walk because their car is over there across the street.
Its / It's
When you want to contract the words it is or it has you use it's. When you are speaking in terms of the possessive you don't use the apostrophe and it is written its. It's cold outside so the dog laid in its bed.
Pique / Peek / Peak
You pique someone's interest or emotions. You quickly or furtively glance when you peek. The peak is the highest level of a mountain, frequency, volume, or intensity. After peeking at the peak of the mountain, my interest in climbing is piqued.
Your / You're
Your is simply the possessive form of you. You're is a contraction of the words you are. You're going to get sicker if you don't take your medicine.
Whose / Who's
This is very similar to its/it's and your/you're. You use whose as the possessive form of whom or who. Who's is a contraction of the words who is. Who's the lady whose family is waiting in the lobby?
Patients / Patience
Patients is the plural word that refers to people under medical care. Patience is the quality of being patient or being willing and able to suppress restlessness or annoyance. The patients were losing patience with the long wait time to see the doctor.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Test Your Resume IQ
I often tell people that resumes are like beauty. They are very subjective and everyone has a different opinion of what it right and wrong or good and bad. I think one of the reasons that I enjoy writing resumes is that there are no rules. Me being the "rebel" that I am, I enjoy creating a document that works for the individual and does not have to comply with a set of rules.
Although there are no hard and fast resume rules, there are guidelines that you can follow to ensure your resume is as effective as possible. Take this "test" to see how much you know about optimizing your marketability with your resume.
True or False: When writing a resume, more is always better.
False. There is such a thing as too much information. Your resume should seldom be longer than two pages and must only contain the information that is relevant to the job and the employer for which you are applying. Providing too much information will hide the important info and may scare away your potential employer.
True or False: Your resume must contain every job you have held since you graduated high school.
False. A resume is a generally accepted ten year picture of your work history. If you have only been in a professional career field for six years, you don't have to go back ten years. However, no matter if you have 25 years of experience, you should not go back further than ten years to avoid age discrimination.
True or False: Your resume should be generic enough to cover a variety of career fields.
False. There is no such thing as an effective generic resume. If you try to appeal to everyone with your resume, you will end up targeting no one. Pick a target, define your marketable skills in that career field, and highlight your most relevant accomplishments to effectively target a specific career field. This may mean that you need multiple resumes.
True or False: Employers like to know about your interests outside of work.
It depends. I know that is cheating, but whether or not you add your outside interests or volunteerism depends on how relevant they are to the job. If you have been a mechanic volunteering as as forestry worker for the last ten years and you want to work as a forest ranger, then you better include this info on your resume. However, most employers don't care that you like macrame and long walks on the beach.
True or False: A great resume will get you the job.
False. A resume is not designed to get you the job. Its purpose is plain and simply to land an interview. Few employers see a resume and make the decision to hire you without first conducting and interview. However, keep in mind that a poorly written resume can cost you the job opportunity.
Although there are no hard and fast resume rules, there are guidelines that you can follow to ensure your resume is as effective as possible. Take this "test" to see how much you know about optimizing your marketability with your resume.
True or False: When writing a resume, more is always better.
False. There is such a thing as too much information. Your resume should seldom be longer than two pages and must only contain the information that is relevant to the job and the employer for which you are applying. Providing too much information will hide the important info and may scare away your potential employer.
True or False: Your resume must contain every job you have held since you graduated high school.
False. A resume is a generally accepted ten year picture of your work history. If you have only been in a professional career field for six years, you don't have to go back ten years. However, no matter if you have 25 years of experience, you should not go back further than ten years to avoid age discrimination.
True or False: Your resume should be generic enough to cover a variety of career fields.
False. There is no such thing as an effective generic resume. If you try to appeal to everyone with your resume, you will end up targeting no one. Pick a target, define your marketable skills in that career field, and highlight your most relevant accomplishments to effectively target a specific career field. This may mean that you need multiple resumes.
True or False: Employers like to know about your interests outside of work.
It depends. I know that is cheating, but whether or not you add your outside interests or volunteerism depends on how relevant they are to the job. If you have been a mechanic volunteering as as forestry worker for the last ten years and you want to work as a forest ranger, then you better include this info on your resume. However, most employers don't care that you like macrame and long walks on the beach.
True or False: A great resume will get you the job.
False. A resume is not designed to get you the job. Its purpose is plain and simply to land an interview. Few employers see a resume and make the decision to hire you without first conducting and interview. However, keep in mind that a poorly written resume can cost you the job opportunity.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Job Search Pointers You’re Not Sure Are Worthwhile
Have you occasionally found yourself wondering whether certain job-search pointers are worth your effort and time? Read on. Many hiring managers, recruiters, career coaches, and others agree that the following pointers may indeed get you noticed and make the difference in how you are perceived as a job candidate.
Ask a Professional to Proofread Your Resume: Anyone will tell you one of the worst mistakes you can make is to submit a resume containing a spelling error. Yet, it is a common mistake. Do yourself a huge favor and ask a professional proofreader or editor to look over your resume. Rates vary depending on geography and the experience of the editor, but a good median range is $30 to $40 per hour. Save money by reviewing your resume closely before handing it off for proofreading or editing.
Write Targeted Cover Letters: Many job seekers question whether they should bother submitting a cover letter with each resume. The answer is “yes,” and make sure the letter is targeted to the position you are pursuing.
Don’t Overlook the Value of Volunteer Work: Volunteering is a great way to use existing skills and talents, acquire new ones, and meet new people. Volunteer when you have the opportunity, and then include on your resume those skills that will translate well in the job market.
Follow Up After An Interview: Have you ever attended an interview and then not heard anything back? Hiring can be an incredibly slow process, involving several steps and people. Always challenge yourself to follow up about the job status after the interview. This gives you an opportunity to enthusiastically reiterate your interest in the job and the company.
Send a Thank You: Many job seekers neglect to send a thank you after interviewing or after receiving help with a job search. Don’t underestimate the importance in sending a thank you. When possible, send a handwritten note. This gesture is often noticed and appreciated.
Ask a Professional to Proofread Your Resume: Anyone will tell you one of the worst mistakes you can make is to submit a resume containing a spelling error. Yet, it is a common mistake. Do yourself a huge favor and ask a professional proofreader or editor to look over your resume. Rates vary depending on geography and the experience of the editor, but a good median range is $30 to $40 per hour. Save money by reviewing your resume closely before handing it off for proofreading or editing.
Write Targeted Cover Letters: Many job seekers question whether they should bother submitting a cover letter with each resume. The answer is “yes,” and make sure the letter is targeted to the position you are pursuing.
Don’t Overlook the Value of Volunteer Work: Volunteering is a great way to use existing skills and talents, acquire new ones, and meet new people. Volunteer when you have the opportunity, and then include on your resume those skills that will translate well in the job market.
Follow Up After An Interview: Have you ever attended an interview and then not heard anything back? Hiring can be an incredibly slow process, involving several steps and people. Always challenge yourself to follow up about the job status after the interview. This gives you an opportunity to enthusiastically reiterate your interest in the job and the company.
Send a Thank You: Many job seekers neglect to send a thank you after interviewing or after receiving help with a job search. Don’t underestimate the importance in sending a thank you. When possible, send a handwritten note. This gesture is often noticed and appreciated.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Five Resume Myths That Are Hurting Your Job Search
A quick Google search for "career advice" returns over 15 million hits. That's a lot of career advice. And, as you would imagine, some of the it is good, and some of it...well...leaves a lot to be desired. In this series, I will delve into the pieces of advice that are outdated, unsubstantiated, or just flat-out wrong. First up: resumes.
1. A resume should only be one page: A resume can be over one page if your experience allows. If you are a professional with over three years experience in one field, it's entirely possible to have a resume over one page. Recent college graduates, however, will most likely have a one-page resume unless extensive experience in college calls for two. A resume beyond two pages is dicey, though, unless you are a senior executive (vice president or above) or are creating a curriculum vitae.
2. A resume should only list positions chronologically: This is a myth to an extent, as many job-seekers will use functional resumes to try and hide gaps in their employment (a big no-no). However, it is entirely acceptable to highlight first those jobs that most directly relate to the applied-for position. In the past I created two resume sections - "Related Experience" and "Other Experience" - to highlight the experience that was directly relevant to the position and then my other experience that could indirectly contribute. My job history was maintained, but I directed employer to what was most important to them at the top.
3. Every resume should be in a Times New Roman font: With the ubiquitousness of Times New Roman, the look of your resume could suffer if you use this font as it will not stand out. There are plenty of great alternatives depending on your needs, such as Garamond High Tower Text, Tahoma, Arial, Calibri, Georgia, and Verdana. These fonts will make your resume visually pleasing without being caustic or extreme. Which leads us to our fourth myth...
4. Use a "creative" resume to stand out: Unless your job field calls for it (graphic design, fashion, game design, or other typically creative fields), a creative resume with extensive use of charts and graphics is not recommended. While a creative resume in a creative field will highlight your work and expertise, one outside of those fields will come off as distracting and unprofessional.
5. Every job you ever had should be on your resume: Many people do not understand that a resume is a marketing document, not a chronologic history of every single job they ever had. That position in high school when you are now 45-years-old? Keep it off. Most resumes - except for extreme circumstances - should profile only your last 15-20 years of work experience.
These are five resume myths, but there are most certainly more. What resume myths have you encountered? List them - with an explanation of why they are myths - below in the comments. Or, if you have a question about whether or not something is a myth, leave a comment about that, too.
1. A resume should only be one page: A resume can be over one page if your experience allows. If you are a professional with over three years experience in one field, it's entirely possible to have a resume over one page. Recent college graduates, however, will most likely have a one-page resume unless extensive experience in college calls for two. A resume beyond two pages is dicey, though, unless you are a senior executive (vice president or above) or are creating a curriculum vitae.
2. A resume should only list positions chronologically: This is a myth to an extent, as many job-seekers will use functional resumes to try and hide gaps in their employment (a big no-no). However, it is entirely acceptable to highlight first those jobs that most directly relate to the applied-for position. In the past I created two resume sections - "Related Experience" and "Other Experience" - to highlight the experience that was directly relevant to the position and then my other experience that could indirectly contribute. My job history was maintained, but I directed employer to what was most important to them at the top.
3. Every resume should be in a Times New Roman font: With the ubiquitousness of Times New Roman, the look of your resume could suffer if you use this font as it will not stand out. There are plenty of great alternatives depending on your needs, such as Garamond High Tower Text, Tahoma, Arial, Calibri, Georgia, and Verdana. These fonts will make your resume visually pleasing without being caustic or extreme. Which leads us to our fourth myth...
4. Use a "creative" resume to stand out: Unless your job field calls for it (graphic design, fashion, game design, or other typically creative fields), a creative resume with extensive use of charts and graphics is not recommended. While a creative resume in a creative field will highlight your work and expertise, one outside of those fields will come off as distracting and unprofessional.
5. Every job you ever had should be on your resume: Many people do not understand that a resume is a marketing document, not a chronologic history of every single job they ever had. That position in high school when you are now 45-years-old? Keep it off. Most resumes - except for extreme circumstances - should profile only your last 15-20 years of work experience.
These are five resume myths, but there are most certainly more. What resume myths have you encountered? List them - with an explanation of why they are myths - below in the comments. Or, if you have a question about whether or not something is a myth, leave a comment about that, too.
Friday, August 17, 2012
High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Resumes, Job Boards, and the Blues
This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!
1. 10 Reasons Your Resume Isn't Getting You Interviews
"If you're like most people, you're making at least a few of these mistakes—which will put your resume promptly in the 'no' pile."
2. How to Deal with Job Search Blues
"Whether you are knee-deep in a job search, involuntarily unemployed or about to start a search on your own, here are a few things to keep in mind."
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| © Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos |
"Here are five common workplace blunders and what you can do to make the best of them."
4. 4 Best Tips for Using a Job Board
"You've posted your resume on all the most popular job boards. It's been weeks and you've heard zilch in response. It's justifiably frustrating."
5. 5 Tips to Handling a Career Transition in Your 50s and 60s
"If you are not comfortable around computers, you will not succeed in most of today’s workplaces."
Friday, July 6, 2012
High Five Weekly Career Transitions Roundup
This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!
1. Why I Like People with Unconventional Resumes
"Disruptive moves can also tell you a lot about potential because they show a candidate's curiosity, insight, inspiration and determination, which in turn indicate a search for learning and challenge."
2. How Hard Are You Willing to Push Yourself?
"The unavoidable truth is that the willingness to endure discomfort and sacrifice instant gratification is the only way to get better at anything, and to achieve true excellence."
3. 8 Reasons You're Not Earning the Salary You Want
"Ultimately, if you don't like your salary, talk to your boss about what you would need to accomplish to earn a raise."
4. Why Women's Networking Groups Fail
"Where too many focus on the strength of numbers, the real sign of a healthy—and helpful—professional networking group is who’s there and how they communicate."
5. 3 Reasons Your Resume Brands You As A Commodity
"So, how did we end up branding ourselves as sheep…describing ourselves just like everyone else?We’ve been taught to describe ourselves this way…and it’s been reinforced so often that it just seems
'right'."
Monday, April 16, 2012
Five Resume Reminders, Courtesy of the IRS
There are some things that you just shouldn't do.
I was reminded of this while watching CBS Sunday Morning today. A worker for H&R Block was explaining all of the ways that past clients had tried to lie on their taxes: making up home offices, inventing dependents that didn't exist, and other nefarious yet creative actions.
Not good. Not smart. You would never do something so foolish.
But you are.
Resumes-despite all of the advice dispensed by professional after professional-are still found violating these intractable no-nos. Follow these to keep your application materials from not getting a trashcan audit:
Do not put a photo or birthdate: Employers don't want this information on a resume. At the resume stage of the game it's too personal, with some HR departments fearing that-knowing this information-they could open themselves up to discrimination lawsuits. So keep it off. Note: the situation is a bit different here in Europe, where this practice isn't necessarily frowned upon, but in America keep the photo and birthday off.
Do not include an objective: Objectives boggle my mind. I know what your objective is: it's to get my darn job! Substitute a strong summary of qualifications statement in lieu of an objective to quickly summarize your qualifications and accomplishments.
Do not only list your work locations and dates of employment: Your resume should not simply be a chronology of your work history. Employers are going to want to see how what you have done in your past directly relates (or relates as closely as possible) with the position available. They want to know the details, not just where you worked. On that note, be sure to...
Do not omit your accomplishments: Your job duties ("Sold men's clothing") are different from your accomplishments ("Increased sales 43% during tenure in the men's clothing section"). Highlight your accomplishments in your resume, particularly as they relate to the position being applied for.
Do not lie on your resume: About anything. Ever. Period. And if you have to ask, you probably shouldn't put it on there.
Make a strong case to a future employer and outshine the competition by heeding these "do not dos."
I was reminded of this while watching CBS Sunday Morning today. A worker for H&R Block was explaining all of the ways that past clients had tried to lie on their taxes: making up home offices, inventing dependents that didn't exist, and other nefarious yet creative actions.
Not good. Not smart. You would never do something so foolish.
But you are.
Resumes-despite all of the advice dispensed by professional after professional-are still found violating these intractable no-nos. Follow these to keep your application materials from not getting a trashcan audit:
Do not put a photo or birthdate: Employers don't want this information on a resume. At the resume stage of the game it's too personal, with some HR departments fearing that-knowing this information-they could open themselves up to discrimination lawsuits. So keep it off. Note: the situation is a bit different here in Europe, where this practice isn't necessarily frowned upon, but in America keep the photo and birthday off.
Do not include an objective: Objectives boggle my mind. I know what your objective is: it's to get my darn job! Substitute a strong summary of qualifications statement in lieu of an objective to quickly summarize your qualifications and accomplishments.
Do not only list your work locations and dates of employment: Your resume should not simply be a chronology of your work history. Employers are going to want to see how what you have done in your past directly relates (or relates as closely as possible) with the position available. They want to know the details, not just where you worked. On that note, be sure to...
Do not omit your accomplishments: Your job duties ("Sold men's clothing") are different from your accomplishments ("Increased sales 43% during tenure in the men's clothing section"). Highlight your accomplishments in your resume, particularly as they relate to the position being applied for.
Do not lie on your resume: About anything. Ever. Period. And if you have to ask, you probably shouldn't put it on there.
Make a strong case to a future employer and outshine the competition by heeding these "do not dos."
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Why Isn’t Your Phone Ringing? Tips to Generate More Activity with Your Resume.
Have you been sending out your resume and are getting frustrated because the phone isn’t ringing? I recently had the opportunity to ask hiring managers what makes them decide not to call a candidate for an interview. You will not get call-backs for every resume you send out. However, if you pay attention to the following problem areas, your phone will ring much more often.
GENERIC RESUMES
One thing that human resources managers feel very strongly about is that you must tailor each resume to the job and the company to which you are applying. This doesn’t mean re-writing your resume each time you apply for a job. It simply means tailoring your resume to meet the needs of the company and the job for which you are applying.
Complete some preliminary research on the company before you send your resume. Find out what their priorities are, who their customer is, and how they can benefit from your skills. It is a proven fact that you will be more successful with 10 focused and targeted resumes than 100 generic resumes.
LACK OF REQUIRED SKILLS
This is a major source of frustration to hiring managers. If you don’t have 75 to 80% of the required qualifications for the job, then applying is a waste of yours and the hiring manager’s time. Remember, there is a difference between required and desired qualifications. Spend your time and energy applying for jobs where you meet much of the required qualifications.
RESUME LACKS VISUAL APPEAL
The purpose of a resume is to entice the hiring manager to pick up the phone and call you for an interview. If you have a resume that is not pleasing to the eye, they will move on to the next person very quickly. Studies show that you get between 10 and 25 seconds of attention for your resume. Here are some tips to make your resume more visually appealing:
• The resume should not be crowded, too little or too much white space will turn people off.
• Spacing should be consistent throughout the document. If you indent your bullet points, indent them all the same.
• Use bullet points. Using paragraphs instead of bullet points makes the reader think you are asking them to read a novel about you.
• Bold key areas such as your name, headings, job titles, and degrees to bring attention to your resume.
• Ensure your resume is organized and easy to follow.
USING JOB DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE
Remember, a resume is not a history of your career. Avoid using job description language such as “Responsible for . . .” or “Duties included. . .” Instead, use action words, accomplishments, and results-oriented statements. Every line of your resume should demonstrate the benefits a company will receive if they hire you.
TYPOS OR MISSPELLED WORDS
Nothing will get your resume passed over faster than typos or misspelled words. Your resume should be a glowing example of the type of work you do. Typos or misspelled words tell an employer you lack attention to detail and perform sloppy work. These are not exactly the best qualities for a potential employee. Remember, spellchecker is not perfect. Read your resume, read it again backwards, and have someone you trust read it a third time before you even consider sending it to potential employers.
GENERIC RESUMES
One thing that human resources managers feel very strongly about is that you must tailor each resume to the job and the company to which you are applying. This doesn’t mean re-writing your resume each time you apply for a job. It simply means tailoring your resume to meet the needs of the company and the job for which you are applying.
Complete some preliminary research on the company before you send your resume. Find out what their priorities are, who their customer is, and how they can benefit from your skills. It is a proven fact that you will be more successful with 10 focused and targeted resumes than 100 generic resumes.
LACK OF REQUIRED SKILLS
This is a major source of frustration to hiring managers. If you don’t have 75 to 80% of the required qualifications for the job, then applying is a waste of yours and the hiring manager’s time. Remember, there is a difference between required and desired qualifications. Spend your time and energy applying for jobs where you meet much of the required qualifications.
RESUME LACKS VISUAL APPEAL
The purpose of a resume is to entice the hiring manager to pick up the phone and call you for an interview. If you have a resume that is not pleasing to the eye, they will move on to the next person very quickly. Studies show that you get between 10 and 25 seconds of attention for your resume. Here are some tips to make your resume more visually appealing:
• The resume should not be crowded, too little or too much white space will turn people off.
• Spacing should be consistent throughout the document. If you indent your bullet points, indent them all the same.
• Use bullet points. Using paragraphs instead of bullet points makes the reader think you are asking them to read a novel about you.
• Bold key areas such as your name, headings, job titles, and degrees to bring attention to your resume.
• Ensure your resume is organized and easy to follow.
USING JOB DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE
Remember, a resume is not a history of your career. Avoid using job description language such as “Responsible for . . .” or “Duties included. . .” Instead, use action words, accomplishments, and results-oriented statements. Every line of your resume should demonstrate the benefits a company will receive if they hire you.
TYPOS OR MISSPELLED WORDS
Nothing will get your resume passed over faster than typos or misspelled words. Your resume should be a glowing example of the type of work you do. Typos or misspelled words tell an employer you lack attention to detail and perform sloppy work. These are not exactly the best qualities for a potential employee. Remember, spellchecker is not perfect. Read your resume, read it again backwards, and have someone you trust read it a third time before you even consider sending it to potential employers.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
5 Common Resume Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Have you been sending out resumes for jobs you are well-qualified for and not getting any response? Usually, when this happens, the fault lies with the resume. Think of your resume as your calling card that you allow to speak for you when you can not be there. Ask yourself, what is your resume saying about you? Make sure your message is loud and clear by avoiding these common issues.
Poorly Organized or Hard to Read Formatting
Your resume gets an average of 10 to 15 seconds of attention from the hiring manager. If it is too difficult to read, is unorganized, crowded, or has font smaller than 10 points, chances are a hiring manager won’t make the effort. Ensure there is plenty of white space on the resume to increase readability. Use formatting such as borders and bolding key areas to lead the eye through the resume.
Speaking in Job Description Language
Once upon a time, a resume was simply a description of your every day duties. In today’s market, this approach will not get you an interview. To ensure your resume is effective, you want to tell about the benefits you have to offer the company and what results you have achieved. Speak in action-oriented words and avoid phrases such as “responsible for” and “duties included.”
Typos or Spelling Errors
One typo, one misspelled word, or one misused word can mean your resume gets put into the “NO” pile. Your resume must be perfect and free of errors. Don’t rely on spell check to catch your errors. Many of the most common errors (using manger instead of manager OR using your instead of you’re) will not be caught by spell check.
Generic Resume
There is no such thing as an effective generic resume. If you take the time to tailor and focus your resume to the individual company and job, you will be more likely to get a call back. In fact, it has been proven that 10 focused resumes will get more calls for interviews than 100 generic resumes. Only include information that is relevant to the position and company for which you are applying. The more irrelevant information you include, the harder it will be for the employer to locate the “good stuff” that is most relevant to them.
Red Flags
Red flags are a danger to a resume. Some examples include large gaps in employment of more than one year, excessive amounts of jobs in a short period of time, lack of dates for your work history, going back more than 10 years in your work experience, and evidence of specific religious or political affiliations. You never want to lie on your resume, however there are ways to camouflage or explain these issues. Check back next week for more information on this subject.
Poorly Organized or Hard to Read Formatting
Your resume gets an average of 10 to 15 seconds of attention from the hiring manager. If it is too difficult to read, is unorganized, crowded, or has font smaller than 10 points, chances are a hiring manager won’t make the effort. Ensure there is plenty of white space on the resume to increase readability. Use formatting such as borders and bolding key areas to lead the eye through the resume.
Speaking in Job Description Language
Once upon a time, a resume was simply a description of your every day duties. In today’s market, this approach will not get you an interview. To ensure your resume is effective, you want to tell about the benefits you have to offer the company and what results you have achieved. Speak in action-oriented words and avoid phrases such as “responsible for” and “duties included.”
Typos or Spelling Errors
One typo, one misspelled word, or one misused word can mean your resume gets put into the “NO” pile. Your resume must be perfect and free of errors. Don’t rely on spell check to catch your errors. Many of the most common errors (using manger instead of manager OR using your instead of you’re) will not be caught by spell check.
Generic Resume
There is no such thing as an effective generic resume. If you take the time to tailor and focus your resume to the individual company and job, you will be more likely to get a call back. In fact, it has been proven that 10 focused resumes will get more calls for interviews than 100 generic resumes. Only include information that is relevant to the position and company for which you are applying. The more irrelevant information you include, the harder it will be for the employer to locate the “good stuff” that is most relevant to them.
Red Flags
Red flags are a danger to a resume. Some examples include large gaps in employment of more than one year, excessive amounts of jobs in a short period of time, lack of dates for your work history, going back more than 10 years in your work experience, and evidence of specific religious or political affiliations. You never want to lie on your resume, however there are ways to camouflage or explain these issues. Check back next week for more information on this subject.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
You’ve Got the Power: Three Tips for Perfecting Power Words
Just like your favorite Dan Brown or Stephanie Meyer book, your resume tells a story. What kind of story is it telling? Are you the confident hero, using your knowledge, skills, abilities, and fortitude to identify problems, create solutions, take action, and save the day? Or are you a secondary character who stands in fright or awe as the hero does his or her thing? Your professional character/persona is projected in your résumé and how you shape it could be the difference between standing out and striking out. Strategically using power words-action verbs used to place emphasis on professional duties and accomplishments-can ensure you create a leading character résumé.
Impact-minded power words: Lists of power words can easily be found online (I found some good ones here and here). But armed with a list of power words does not a good resume make. Be mindful of the words that you are using to create a more vivid picture of your work. Here is an example from someone who worked as a waiter:
See the difference? The word “coach” creates in the mind a different type of action than “taught.” By thinking creatively and choosing the appropriate power word you honor your experience and the employer “sees” this through how you describe it.
Notice the story you’re telling: Now that you have a better handle on power words to use, let’s turn a mindful eye on the story that they are telling. Which phrase below sounds more appealing to you as an employer who is hiring an information technology specialist for a leading hospital?
Again, the difference one word can make. Now, don’t be disingenuous: if you didn’t lead the project, don’t say that you did. But if you start to notice that your power words do not show leadership, delve deeper into your experience or use it as a catalyst to start creating experiences where you are in a leadership role. It is never too late to intentionally shape your career.
Be wary of repeats: Personally, I hate using the same power word in a resume more than once. To me it shows a lack of creativity in one’s self marketing. So try to keep this down to a minimum: repeating a word once is acceptable, but do not make it a habit.
Power words, when used appropriately, create stand-out impact. When writing the novel of your career, use the right power words to ensure your name is blazoned across the cover.
Impact-minded power words: Lists of power words can easily be found online (I found some good ones here and here). But armed with a list of power words does not a good resume make. Be mindful of the words that you are using to create a more vivid picture of your work. Here is an example from someone who worked as a waiter:
- Taught new employees how to use the POS system to ensure accuracy and rapid transaction completion
- Coached new employees in the use of restaurant POS system to ensure accuracy and rapid transaction completion
See the difference? The word “coach” creates in the mind a different type of action than “taught.” By thinking creatively and choosing the appropriate power word you honor your experience and the employer “sees” this through how you describe it.
Notice the story you’re telling: Now that you have a better handle on power words to use, let’s turn a mindful eye on the story that they are telling. Which phrase below sounds more appealing to you as an employer who is hiring an information technology specialist for a leading hospital?
- Assisted multi-departmental team development on an iPad app to enhance workflow and improve care to patients
- Led multi-departmental team development on an iPad app to enhance workflow and improve care to patients
Again, the difference one word can make. Now, don’t be disingenuous: if you didn’t lead the project, don’t say that you did. But if you start to notice that your power words do not show leadership, delve deeper into your experience or use it as a catalyst to start creating experiences where you are in a leadership role. It is never too late to intentionally shape your career.
Be wary of repeats: Personally, I hate using the same power word in a resume more than once. To me it shows a lack of creativity in one’s self marketing. So try to keep this down to a minimum: repeating a word once is acceptable, but do not make it a habit.
Power words, when used appropriately, create stand-out impact. When writing the novel of your career, use the right power words to ensure your name is blazoned across the cover.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Avoid These Common Errors on Your Resume
No matter your qualifications, a resume full of errors is likely to land you in the “no” pile. Your resume must speak for you when you are unavailable to speak for yourself. If the resume is sloppy, lacks attention to detail, and is full of errors, it appears this is how you will perform on the job.
Proofreading your resume before you send it to a potential employer is critical to success. For some employers, if they find just one error they will not even consider interviewing the candidate. Don’t rely on the spell check function; it won’t catch most of these common errors.
Spelling and Word Use Errors
I once sent a cover letter addressed “Dear Hiring Manger.” Since then, I have learned that there is an AutoCorrect function in Microsoft Word that allows you to automatically fix your common errors. Following are some of the most common misspelled words you might use on a resume: Judgment, Commitment, Consensus, Indispensable, Liaison, License, Occurrence, Occasion, Perseverance, Privilege, Separate, Proceed, Acceptable, A While (always two words), Accommodate, Acquire, Acquit, A Lot (always two words), Conscientious, Experience, Guarantee, Immediate, Noticeable, Recommend, and Weird.
Word Use Errors
Most errors on a resume are misuse errors versus misspellings. The spell check functions do not catch these errors. They are spelled correctly; they are just not used properly. Here are some of the most common offenders:
Its versus It’s – This is one of the most common errors. That tiny little apostrophe can make a big difference. To keep it simple, it’s is a contraction of the words “it is” or “it has,” while its is possessive. It’s going to rain. Its tires were flat.
Your versus You’re – You’re is a contraction of “you” and “are,” while your is possessive. You’re my best friend. Your hands are cold.
Their versus There and They’re- Once again, they’re is a contraction of the words “they” and “are,” while their is possessive, and there refers to distance. They’re going to their house over there.
Ensure versus Insure – When you insure something, you are referring to insurance. When you ensure something, you make sure of it. I ensured my family was insured.
Lead versus Led – When referring to leading in the past tense you use led. When talking about a metal, or using the present tense of leading, you use lead. However, they are pronounced different based on the meaning. I led a project team. I want to lead this team. He has lead poisoning.
Proofreading your resume before you send it to a potential employer is critical to success. For some employers, if they find just one error they will not even consider interviewing the candidate. Don’t rely on the spell check function; it won’t catch most of these common errors.
Spelling and Word Use Errors
I once sent a cover letter addressed “Dear Hiring Manger.” Since then, I have learned that there is an AutoCorrect function in Microsoft Word that allows you to automatically fix your common errors. Following are some of the most common misspelled words you might use on a resume: Judgment, Commitment, Consensus, Indispensable, Liaison, License, Occurrence, Occasion, Perseverance, Privilege, Separate, Proceed, Acceptable, A While (always two words), Accommodate, Acquire, Acquit, A Lot (always two words), Conscientious, Experience, Guarantee, Immediate, Noticeable, Recommend, and Weird.
Word Use Errors
Most errors on a resume are misuse errors versus misspellings. The spell check functions do not catch these errors. They are spelled correctly; they are just not used properly. Here are some of the most common offenders:
Its versus It’s – This is one of the most common errors. That tiny little apostrophe can make a big difference. To keep it simple, it’s is a contraction of the words “it is” or “it has,” while its is possessive. It’s going to rain. Its tires were flat.
Your versus You’re – You’re is a contraction of “you” and “are,” while your is possessive. You’re my best friend. Your hands are cold.
Their versus There and They’re- Once again, they’re is a contraction of the words “they” and “are,” while their is possessive, and there refers to distance. They’re going to their house over there.
Ensure versus Insure – When you insure something, you are referring to insurance. When you ensure something, you make sure of it. I ensured my family was insured.
Lead versus Led – When referring to leading in the past tense you use led. When talking about a metal, or using the present tense of leading, you use lead. However, they are pronounced different based on the meaning. I led a project team. I want to lead this team. He has lead poisoning.
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