Avoid these resume mistakes to land an interview

Having a resume that presents you in the best way is essential, especially in a competitive job market. Below are some common mistakes people often make on their resumes, so be sure to stay clear of them.

Using the same resume for every job application

While it sounds like a bit of work to change your resume for every application, not doing it might leave you out of consideration. There are many other people applying who will tailor their resumes to show recruiters they’re uniquely qualified to fill the position. To compete with them, you must show that you have the specific qualifications the employer is looking for, so they put you on top of the pile.

An easy way to tailor your resume for the job is by adding relevant details from the job ad into your resume. Include keywords found in the job ad throughout your skills and experience section or write a bullet point to address the essential criteria in the advertisement.

Listing duties instead of accomplishments

Employers don’t just want to know what job duties and responsibilities you can do, they want to know if you’re good at what you do. Convince them by giving specific examples of your accomplishments, successes, results, challenges you overcame, and problems you solved. This will help you really stand out.

For example

Instead of writing “worked on sales team”, include something you achieved in this role, like the example below

Led a sales email marketing campaign, that resulted in a 13% increase in sales.

Using statistics and focusing on your experience will show employers what you can achieve.

Incorrect or missing contact information

The aim of a resume is to help you get an interview. If the contact information you’ve included is incorrect, then you’re making it difficult for recruiters to get in touch with you! Also, you don’t want a recruiter to overlook your training and experience just because of an inappropriate email address. Whilst [email protected] might have seemed like a good idea when you were a kid, changing this to an email address with your real name will be more professional.

Spelling and grammar errors

Don’t just trust spell check. Your resume and cover letter are too important to trust a computer program. Make sure you read over it and ask someone else to proofread it as well. They’ll often pick up on things that you might miss, like incorrect acronyms, or correctly spelled words used in the wrong context.

Repetitive buzz words or phrases

When someone reads the same buzz words or phrases again on a resume, the words can lose their effect. It can also seem like you didn’t care enough to put effort into using a variety of words. Buzz words like “go-getter,” “maximising synergy,” and “self-starter,” can be overused and make it sound like your resume was written by AI.

For example

Use action verbs to show your characteristics. Instead of saying “go-getter,” show examples of this such as:

Initiated a new system to increase efficiency.

Recognised excessive wastage in the business and implemented an approach to reduce waste.

Use action verbs that describe how you work to avoid use of tired buzzwords.

Format is too busy

Think ‘less is more’ when it comes to your resume format. Stick to a simple design that has white space and makes it easy for the reader to quickly look over your information and understand your employment story. Avoid use of decorative fonts and select a font that is easy to read..

Including a photo of yourself

In Australia, it’s not standard practice to include a photo on your resume. A profile photo doesn’t demonstrate your skills, and a photo that’s too casual could come across as unprofessional or send the wrong message. If an employer really wants to see your photo, they can find it on your LinkedIn or social media profiles as well.

Too long

The maximum length of a typical resume is two pages. Unless you have seven or more years of experience and a few jobs under your belt, keep the document to one page.

Think of your resume like a summary of the highlights rather than a document of your whole career history. Once you’ve written it, look for areas you can trim or refine so the best details can shine through.

You might cover your most recent roles with more detail and keep older work history to key details of position titles, dates and a few key tasks and achievements.

Not ATS friendly

With employers receiving so many applications nowadays, many make use of Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software to automatically weed out applications that don’t match the criteria. If your resume doesn’t contain any relevant keywords for the position or is formatted unconventionally, ATS software might struggle to process your resume. This can result in your application getting rejected before it’s even seen by a hiring manager.

To make your resume ATS friendly, send in a word document with a simple template and easy to read font. Make sure you use job-specific keywords, and avoid using tables, graphics or images in your resume.

Good luck with your resume!

By taking on board these points, you’ll have a better idea of what to include and what to avoid in your resume, so it stands out to employers in the best possible way.

If it lands you an interview, be sure to check out our Top 10 interview tips!

Connect with CVGT Employment

Need support to write your resume? Get in touch with us today! Call 132 848 or visit cvgt.com.au