Not sure you are ready to pay for resume creation services? Want to do it on your own? We advise you to proceed with caution. After all, you only get one chance to make a good impression! Avoid having your resume put on the "trash" pile by considering the tips included in this blog.
Carrie and Laura have completed resume writing training and continue to develop our skills through ongoing workshops and classes. We also see what the average resume writer creates independently, so we know the common pitfalls. Our relationships with hiring managers help keep us up to speed on the latest trends. They also offer us the opportunity to hear common complaints.
Contact Info Blunders
We have seen it all! People handle their contact information in many different ways. Some stick it in the header (which doesn't work well with applicant tracking systems). Others use a JPG (also a no-no for the ATS). Beyond worrying about how and where to put the contact information, you must also consider what to include. Here are three quick tips to help:
Type your contact information at the very top of your resume (but not in the header).
Use pipes (|) to separate your phone number from your email address. This allows you to keep the information on the same line.
A street address is not needed and should be left off. Consider adding a LinkedIn URL instead, if you have a developed profile.
Missing Sections!!!
Many resumes we review do not have a personal headline or title. They also don't include an executive summary. Hiring managers tell us they expect both to be on resumes in 2024. Let's look at mandatory vs. optional sections:
Mandatory: Headline, Executive Summary, Work Experience, Education
Optional: Key Offerings, Skills, Volunteer Experience, Professional Affiliations
Choose Your Words Wisely
When you review your resume, do you spot the words "I" or "My" anywhere? If so, remove them. Often, we find people have inadvertently used those words within their executive summary. It can be awkward to write without "I" or "My," but you must. Current resume guidelines require you to leave them off and write in the third person implied.
Actions vs Responsibilities
So many resumes we review are just a list of job responsibilities. The truth is, they could be used as a job posting instead. Hiring managers tell us this drives them bonkers. They want to know what you did, not what you were supposed to do. Even better -- they would like to know how you did it and how it benefited the company. Instead of saying "Responsible for processing payroll," it would be better to say "Processed payroll for 100 employees bi-weekly, ensuring on-time payment."
Formatting
Avoid big blocks of text. You want to make the resume easy to skim. Hiring managers only have a few seconds to glance at a resume before deciding if they want to take a closer look or cast it aside. Incorporate bullets, bolding and indentation to make the resume visually appealing. Include white space between sections so it is easy to read.
Using the above tips will help you sidestep common pitfalls job seekers face. Revision Resume is here to help as well! We can provide you with a thorough resume critique. We will evaluate all of the items listed above and guide you appropriately. Our comments are clear, and will assist you in making changes to improve your resume!
Contact us today via email at info@revisionresume.com!
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