A resume is much more than a piece of paper that displays your abilities and qualifications. The biggest culprit behind unsuccessful resumes is failing to understand them as they are – a crucial instrument for employment.
Does it often happen to you – to get rejected even though your qualifications are the perfect fit for the position? Is your resume the reason why you get rejected when applying for a job?
Many have been where you stand and learned this the hard way – without a professional resume, an application does not stand a chance with a hiring manager. Therefore, you must make sure that the resume is absolutely perfect.
Why Do You Need a Professional Resume?
A bad resume is one of the following: hard to read, covered in errors, confusing or completely unrelated to the job in question. If your resume has one of these disadvantages, it goes in the trash right away.
I did not know this in the past, which lead me to make many mistakes and miss dozens of job opportunities I could have gotten only if I had a good resume. To help you avoid the same mistakes, I decided to make a list of things I wish someone taught me before I lost my shot at the jobs I wanted:
1. My Resume Looked Like Everyone Else’s
Hiring managers will get dozens to hundreds of resumes that look just like yours. Therefore, you do not only need a professional resume – you need a resume that stands out. Even if you have worked hard to make sure that the language and lists fit what the employer is looking for, you will never leave a good impression if the resume does not shine among others.
People often look for resume samples online or copy generated forms and fill them with the information before adding them to the application. The problem lies exactly here – you are following the same path as dozens of other candidates. The common employee is not the ideal employee. There are hundreds of such applicants in every job offer.
2. It Focused on Responsibility instead of Results
Explaining what you did and when you did it is a bad move. I used to write down my certificates, job experience and things I accomplished, expecting the hiring manager to be amazed by only reading it.
This is the biggest mistake you can make. Employers are not interested in your duties and responsibilities. They want to know what you can do to improve your company, not what you have done to improve yourself.
So, put on your results cap. Turn your accomplishments into reasons to believe that you are better than anyone else who applied for the job. Employers want to hear how and when you made a difference, so think of things you did that make you the best candidate for the job.
3. Your Resume Was Not Polished Enough
A resume is not a one-person job. The best thing you can do for your resume is get a second pair of eyes to take a look at it.
When you write a resume about yourself and your accomplishments, you are certainly connected to them, which makes you unable to see things objectively.
Do not leave this important task to your friends and family. They can help, but they will hardly know the best ways to impress a hiring manager. My recommendation is pinpointing the top resume services and leave the polishing to them.
4. It Did Not Represent Me
You probably think – how can my resume represent someone else?
Believe it or not, this is the exact reason why I failed to get the jobs – the resumes I sent were not a true representation of me. In order to be successful, a resume must line up with your attitude, energy, and tone. You cannot deliver a regal resume if you are an extrovert, or use jokes if you are a serious person.
It is not just about style. You must be realistic. Paint yourself as a team player if you do not possess the qualities of a leader. If you want to change jobs often, do not say you are looking for permanent employment.
Get real. This is your opportunity, to be honest.
There you have it – the four mistakes I did when writing my resume. Is there any lesson you want to share with us?
About the author:
Stephanie Proper is a career strategist and blogger. She likes writing useful tips regarding a career and help job seekers pass through an application process smoothly. She can be reached out on properresumes.com, Facebook and Twitter
