Fancy degree, check; great grades, check; references, check; but still wondering why you didn’t get a call back from a potential employer? Well, one reason could be your resume. Trust us, the number of bizarre resumes we’ve seen is incredible. Your CV is what represents you in the job market, and if you’ve got the tone wrong, then baby you’ve got a problem!
1. Spelling or grammar errors: The biggest turn off. These errors project you as lazy and uninterested. Run spell check, ask a friend to read it, ask mom to read it too just to be triply sure, but presenting a resume with errors can lead you into embarrassing situations.
2. Convoluted language: In a bid to sound intelligent don’t use language so flowery that your prospective employer would need to hire Shakespeare to get what you are trying to say. Use basic, simple language; it is the skills that be impressive.
3.Missing out on contact info: So how exactly do you think the company is supposed to get in touch with you? Believe it or not, some people get so lost in the nitty-gritties of making a resume that they completely forget to add basic details like their phone number and email.
4. Jazzy fonts and glossy paper: A resume is a formal document. Keep it official, and don’t make it look frivolous. Use a font like Times New Roman in a point size 10 or 12 and keep the colour black. The formatting should be consistent.
5. Physical characteristics: Unless you are applying to a modelling agency or for a porn movie, this is utterly useless and irrelevant information.
6. Photographs: Not that big a blunder this, but don’t attach mug shots of your beautiful face unless asked for.
7. Boasting: It is a good thing to play up one’s good characteristics and strong points, but don’t blow your own horn.
8. Reasons for leaving previous job: It’s better to discuss this in person. Also make sure you don’t bitch out your previous organisation. Sounds basic, but you’d be surprised how many get caught in that trap.
9. Irrelevant information: Passport number, number of ex-husbands, children etc. Do they need to know that? Even hobbies, ones that are totally unrelated should be kept out.
10.A super long resume: The maximum length of your resume, regardless of the number of years you have worked, should ideally not be more than two pages.
11.Weaknesses: Mention subtly if asked. Don’t go on and on about them on your resume. You want to get hired, right?
12. Giving false information: Don’t think you can get away with lying about things like gap years, reasons for quitting, your salary etc; because most companies these days, have ways of finding out about what went wrong or why you took year(s) off. Come out to them about your failures when asked in an interview. Of course, we trust you to be tactful by highlighting your postives and achievements. But don’t fudge information, if nothing else, they’ll be impressed by your honesty!
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