5 Common Resume Mistakes That Could Cost You the Job

5 Common Resume Mistakes That Could Cost You the Job 5 Common Resume Mistakes That Could Cost You the JobDont let your resume betray you. Avoid behauptung common and costly blunders. TWEETIf youve finished your resume and youre ready to send it out, wait. There are a few common resume pitfalls that could mean the difference between being tossed and being recognized. Other than basic typos, the following are the fruchtwein common mistakes made on a resume. Does your resume include any of these?1. Assumed SkillsExcellent verbal and written communication skills.Ethical standards and confidentiality.Able to collaborate professionally.Resourceful decision making.Prioritizing and multitasking.Self-starter.Ability to learn and adapt quickly to changing environments.If your resume contains any of these phrases, consider changing them to something mora specific that describes your background. Hirers assume that you can communicate, that you can collaborate with others, and that youre capable of managing your own time and working on more than one task. These are basic office and work skills that will be ignored on a resume. They do not support your candidacy.2.Microsoft Office SuiteYou can omit the basic Microsoft products like Suite, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint from your resume. Hirers assume you know and regularly use these programs. Just as you can assume you will have a computer at your desk, your employer will assume you can use one. If you use specific tools such as Visual Basic, Access, or OneNote you could add those because they are used for more specific tasks and projects.3.Passive VoiceIn your job descriptions, avoid passive verbs. Action verbs make you look more, well, active. For examplePassive Was a producer on ABC TV show.Active Produced ABC TV show.Passive Assisted with office duties.Active Filed documents, returned phone calls, responded to customers, and entered customer data into computer system.See the difference? When you indicate more specifically h ow you did something, better verbs come out.4.ObjectiveMany job candidates think they should talk about their life or compliment themselves in the paragraph at the top of a resume. Companies are not interested in what you think of yourself, and adjectives like successful or highly qualified are subjective. What your previous or current company considers successful or highly qualified may be different for your future company. Your future boss is solely interested in how you will benefit the company. So, make the top paragraph a summary of your proven qualifications and accomplishments that make you the best candidate.5.Overused wordsAccording to LinkedIn, these were the 10 most overused words in profiles in 2014MotivatedCreativePassionateDrivenExtensive ExperienceOrganizationalStrategicTrack RecordResponsibleProblem-SolvingPassionate, driven, and responsible should not be on a resume. They are too general and could describe anyone. But some of these words are important and applicable , they just need context. Extensive experience is fine but why not pump it up and say how much experience? 10 years? More than 20? Strategic is actually a great word to use on a resume, and it will have more impact if you use it to describe something specific you accomplished Implemented strategic marketing plans targeting specific demographics.The goal of creating a resume is to get you past applicant tracking systems (ATS) and recruiter eyes to an interview. Companies program their tracking systems to look for specific keywords in the context of your resume. Avoid these five mistakes and your resume is more likely to stand out from the many others.Related Articles