The 4 Most Common Resume Mistakes
Why is your resume getting rejected?
Have you ever sent out your resume and not heard back? Have you ever considered why you haven’t heard back? Have you considered why employers might reject a resume at first sight?
Today, we are going to be looking at the 4 most common reasons why resumes get dismissed in the first round.
1. Spelling & Grammar
One sure-fire way to get your resume rejected at an employer’s first glance is poor spelling and grammar. However, this is the easiest issue to rectify. If a high standard of literacy is not your forte, don’t worry; there’s no shame in asking for help. Do not rely upon in-built spellcheck or grammar tools, ask someone else to proof-read your resume before you send it to potential employers. Similarly, if you’re writing your resume in a language which isn’t your first, don’t bank on translation tools; find a native speaker to check for grammatical errors which you might not have noticed, no matter how fluent you are.
2. Lack of Information
If you don’t tell employers the specific details of your experience, skills and qualifications, they could assume you don’t have what they’re looking for, even if you do! Remember, your resume is the first place where potential employers can learn about you, you need to sell your accomplishments. This is your time to show off! Be specific about your skills in particular. For example, what qualifications do you have? Do you speak any languages? Have you acquired technical knowledge relevant to the job for which you are applying? Did you pick up this knowledge in a previous role or on a course or apprenticeship? Tell employers exactly why they should hire you.
Your resume is your sales pitch.
3. No Listed Achievements
Although at first glance this point may seem similar to the previous one, the devil really is in the detail. Not only should you list skills; but you absolutely must give specific information about your achievements. Where possible, give hard evidence of your success in previous roles. Show employers that you can and do get results. Statistics are a great way of delivering both detailed and concise information: for example, ‘in my last role, I increased sales by 20% in 6 months’. This kind of data could give you the edge over other candidates.
4. Too Generic
One thing that every employer looks for in a candidate is passion, and a genuine excitement towards the role for which they are applying. An employer might reject a resume is if it’s clear that a candidate is sending the same one to all potential employers.
Generic applications generally fail
It is vital that you tailor your resume according to the job for which you’re applying. Yes, your achievements and experience must be truthful, but emphasizing relevant skill sets depending on the role you’re applying for is a must. Have a look at the job advertisement, find out what the company is looking for and alter your resume accordingly. Not only will this tell potential employers that you are the person they are looking for, it will also show them that you’ve researched them and are working hard to get the job.
Finally, make sure that your contact details are clear and visible on your resume. If employers read about your accomplishments and want to get in touch, make sure they can do so as easily as possible!