Black Family Magazine

How to Avoid the Most Common Resume Blunders

By Tammy Roberson

As a skilled Human Resources professional, I can corroborate that employers and recruiters don't have time to waste on resumes that don't match the criteria they are looking for. The job market is flooded with individuals seeking the right position and it will take more than a mediocre resume to open the door for you!

Hiring professionals can now scrutinize job seekers much harder since there is a larger pool of applicants to choose from. Also, due to a failing economy and strict company budgetary restraints, applicants are being subjected to as many as 4 or 5 interviews before they are offered the job. In order to make it to the second round of reviews, your resume must grab the attention of employers.

Here are some of the most common resume blunders you can avoid to set your resume apart from the rest:

Your resume is too focused on job duties and responsibilities
Don't get pulled into just listing duties from your job description. A skilled recruiter will already know what your job responsibilities should entail. Instead, demonstrate how you made a difference at each company and provide specific examples of how the company benefited from your performance. It would be great to show any award, special recognition, or promotions that you received as a result of your performance.

Your objective statement is too general
A statement such as "To find a challenging position that will enable me to utilize my experience to advance and contribute to the company" is too general and overused. In most cases, the objective statement is the first thing an employer will see after your contact information. The objective statement should be a statement that describes your area of expertise and it should grab the reader instantly and make them yearn to learn more about you! Some applicants are moving from the objective statement and using a summary or profile section.

The length of your resume does not match your experience
Don't fall into the trap that your resume should not be any longer than one page. When writing your resume, ask yourself, "Will this statement compel a hiring manager to offer me an interview to find out more about me? If the answer is yes, you should include that statement on your resume. Be careful not too be too wordy. You are not writing a book. Your goal is to highlight your experiences and not make the reader have to search for your pertinent information! There isn't a rule on the appropriate length of your resume. There are certain indicators to help you determine the length of your resume such as your occupation, industry, years of experience, depth of accomplishments, and education. Every word of your resume should be like a selling feature to get the employer to want to obtain you and your experience!

Refrain from using personal pronouns and articles
Examples of personal pronouns are "I" and "me" and examples of articles are "an" and "the". The following is an example of a statement that uses both a personal pronoun and an article:
"I developed a new procedure that added $5 million in sales and increased the profit of the company by 20%"
The above statement should read as :
"Developed new procedure that added $5 million in sales and increased profit by 20%"

Spelling Errors, Poor Grammar/Formatting, and Messiness/Unprofessionalism
You should always use spell check. Remember spell check won't catch every mistake! Have someone proofread your resume! Be careful not too make your formatting too complicated. A good suggestion is to do your resume in plain text. Many recruiters scan the resumes that are received. Avoid turning in a resume that doesn't have a professional appearance or is messy! Appropriate colors for resume paper are white, cream, light gray, or light blue (cream and white are the most acceptable colors). Do not turn in a resume that has runny ink, coffee and tea stains, ripped edges, etc. Your resume is a personal reflection of your professionalism.

Personal or Irrelevant Information
Examples: age, height, weight, race, marital status, number of children, hobbies or interests. Recruiters don't have time to read items such as the examples that are listed above. Personal information that is not directly linked to the position that you are applying to distracts the recruiter from the pertinent information. Some exceptions to this rule are for entertainment professionals, military personnel, etc. Refraining from personal information can also exclude the thought of discrimination.

Many people include hobbies on their resumes. You should only list a hobby if it relates to the job you are applying. For example, it would be okay to list swimming if you were applying for a position as a Swim Instructor at the YMCA. The interview is a perfect time to share personal information as an indicator of your personality. It is also okay to list organizations that you are a member of if they relate to the position that you are applying to. It is a big debate on whether you should list organizations such as the NAACP, sororities and fraternities, the Gay and Lesbian League, etc.

Unfortunately discrimination still exists in our society so I often advise job seekers from listing affiliations that hint of their race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Sidebar: I had my membership in my sorority listed on my resume. My membership in the best sorority in the world (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.) helped me get an interview for a position BUT my experience and personality gained me the job!

Using the incorrect resume format
Whenever possible, recruiters recommend you go with a chronological format. If you are thinking about using a different format because of a layoff or unemployment, don't worry because unemployment is quite common these days. It looks good when you have something such as school to fill in the gaps during unemployment periods. A functional resume is acceptable if you have little to no work experience or excessive job-hopping.

Not Utilizing Keywords
A majority of mid to large sized companies scans and stores all of their resumes. These days it's not just about who you know, it's about what keywords you used! Its best to have keywords listed throughout your entire resume. A good way to determine keywords is to read job descriptions for positions that interest you. If you see industry buzzwords, incorporate them into your resume. The employment section of a newspaper and job sites such as Monster.com are good sources to peruse industry specific job descriptions.

References Available Upon Request
If you have ever worked, you should have references available. Therefore, that statement is not necessary. It's a waste of space on your resume.

Inaccurate or Missing Information
Accurate dates are needed for background checks. Missing dates, especially for lengthy periods of time, can signify trouble! If you have an incorrect or missing phone number, recruiters will not be able to contact you! Do not use your work number as a point of contact. This could imply that you misuse company time.

Use your resume to sell yourself for that dream position! If you feel your resume isn't marketing you to your fullest potential, please contact me at trobe1913@hotmail.com for resume writing assistance!


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