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Five Common Mistakes to Avoid While Writing Resumes

According to JobSeekers.com, about 75% of the applicants’ resumes are rejected by hiring managers on a daily basis. Some of the common reasons for this occurrence are the lack of grammatical knowledge, inability to remain up to date with the trending CV styles, falsified details, and much more. Let us look at some of the most common mistakes aspiring applicants make while constructing resumes:

  1. 1. Recurrent Spelling & Grammatical errors

Many HR managers exclaim the number of resumes they receive, which either have poor grammatical structures or are simply not proofread for spelling errors. This habitual action creates a negative impact on the potential candidate’s impression because such mistakes are deemed as “lazy mistakes,” and the recruiting managers are often left wary of the applicant’s prospective future in the company.

Thus, in order to avoid such blunders from recurring in the future, applicants are advised to print out the resumes and proofread them at least twice, before submitting a job application. When CVs appear in printed paper form, there is more scope to catch the hazardous slip-ups, that may endanger an individual’s career prospects.

  1. 2. Amplify the Truth

While the entire purpose of a resume is to sell yourself, i.e., your skills and capabilities to the employer, the applicants at large are engrossed with the trend, that is to over-exaggerate their skills or achievements. Now, hiring managers commonly mention that exaggeration up to an optimal amount in one’s CV is normal, however, there are certain candidates that downright state falsified truths, in the anticipation of getting selected amongst the pool of applicants. This becomes a prevalent issue when the hiring manager questions the applicant on one of his/her/their caked-up skills, and the latter participant of the interview is unable to perform as promised.

In order to avoid such embarrassing instances, candidates should more likely supply their CVs and resumes with information that is cent percent true. If a candidate feels strongly about an individual skill or achievement, then he/she/they need to acquire the necessary knowledge and capacity to back the skills mentioned on their resumes.

  1. 3. Poor Formatting

One of the classic issues faced by recruiting employers while receiving the resumes in a paper is the poor formatting of the layout produced in the CV. Not only does this create a sense of alarm amongst the employers, being that the potential candidate may be heedless, but it also supplies them with an immediate impression of the candidate’s methodical skills. However, applicants voice that while their CVs are displayed in the desired layout on the PC screen, they are usually unaware of the shifting columns, rows, and information while the same CV is being printed out. They rarely pay attention to their resumes in hand.

To avoid such formatting issues, HR managers advise candidates to recheck the layout of their resume on paper, audit the placement of the information provided in the CV, before handing it out to the prospective employer. A disorganized resume undersells the candidate’s skills and expertise, as well as endangers their potential to be selected for an interview.

  1. 4. Personal Profile Lacks Originality

According to the managers at LinkedIn, the majority of the resumes they receive are poured with copious amounts of cliches such as “I am a team player” or “I am a hardworking driven individual” …etc. Overused phrases as such throw off the professional vibe the candidate is attempting to convey through his CV. Also, with limited originality supplied in the resume, the hiring managers are ambiguous about the true nature and persona of a candidate. Hence, they may quickly get bored and move on to the next application.

Advertising yourself through a resume is essential. Thus, recruiting employers to offer pieces of advice that revolve around the notion to “stop copy-pasting cliches,” and rather advertise yourself through your ideas, values, and experience in the personal profile section of the resume. This will enable the recruiter to view you as a person, both personally as well as professionally. It enhances the candidate’s chances to get selected.

  1. 5. Making the Resume too Long

The general consensus regarding the length of the resume is that, while it should be at least one page, it should not exceed a maximum limit of two pages. Then again, hiring managers mention that the CV length varies according to the professional level of the candidates. This means that, while proficiently experienced candidates may acquire a two-to-three-page resume (ex: doctor, professor, etc.), an applicant that acquired only entry-level experience, should construct a CV that is not more than one page long.

Injection of additional information such as hobbies, interest, are not required, and all the essential information needed by the employer should be supplied on the first age of the CV, in an organized and efficient manner. Lengthier CVs may bore the recruiters.

Thus, only integral, and objective information concerning the candidate’s bio, education, skills, and experience need to be included.