5 Common Mistakes in Resume Writing

Landing your target job is a challenge nowadays especially if you are incapable of grabbing the attention of recruiters through your resume. Exaggerating your qualifications is unethical and ineffective, so you may do away with this option. To help you overcome this situation, start with a simple step - checking if your resume contains blunders that can break your candidacy.

1. Attaching a photo of yourself.

A photograph in your resume would be helpful if you're after jobs which require the employer to gauge in your appearance. The customer service and hospitality industry are an excellent example of an occupational field which may require a photograph with your CV. However, if the job doesn't call for you to groom yourself every day at work (e.g. flight attendant posts, receptionists), by all means, forego the photo.

2. Too much focus on your previous duties and responsibilities.

A functional resume does not simply enumerate your duties and responsibilities in your previous jobs. Go beyond the boring rundown of your previous job roles and put special attention instead on your achievements. After all, if you put yourself in the position of your prospective employer, would you like to hire candidates who can perform the basic job functions or would you prefer those individuals with an excellent track record of accomplishments? Ask yourself the following when trying to figure out how to magnify your accomplishments:

-- what were the challenges and problems you encountered while on the job? how did you overcome such challenges? was an action plan involved? how did you formulate it?
-- what made you perform better than the others? can you cite specific instances which displayed such superior performance?
-- were there any awards, promotions or recognitions you received during the duration of the post?

3. Using personal pronouns and/or unprofessional email addresses.

Consider your resume as a professional document and as a form of business communication. Avoid using personal pronouns like I, me and my. On the other hand, avoid naughty-sounding or unprofessional email addresses at all costs. To be on the safe side, simply use your full name.

4. Incorporating too much or irrelevant information.

How much is "too much" in drafting resumes? You may not include all of your previous work experience. Tailor-fit your resume by incorporating the roles and accomplishments you had which is only related to the post you're after.

Include only information that is relevant to the job vacancy; don't include your hobbies if they have nothing to do with the target job.

5. Writing very long paragraphs.

Your hiring manager doesn't expect to read a novel out of your resume. Break your long paragraphs to short ones by using bullet points.

Now that you're aware of the common resume-writing blunders, you already have an advantage over other applicants.

For more tips on how to craft a substantial and comprehensive resume, download CareerFact's career e-book. Learn how to incorporate your research information and target company's goals in writing a resume that outshines other candidates.