Resume Writing Basics: Top Mistakes to Avoid

For some people, a resume is just a piece of paper. For others, it is more than that. People who are aware that resumes can pave the way towards the career of their dreams know that they should exert extra effort in producing a high quality resume that puts their positive qualities in the best way possible.

However, coming up with a cutting edge resume that would convince employers to pick up the phone and schedule you for an interview is not that simple and easy. Many aspiring applicants commit mistakes in writing resumes that prove to be detrimental to their job application. To learn from other people’s mistakes, here are some of the top ones that you should strive to avoid.

Top Mistake # 1 – Including lies in your resume

This is the biggest mistake that you can ever commit in writing resumes. Many applicants lie in their resume by giving false employment history, educational background, certifications, credentials and so on. Some of them even make up fake references or hire people to give good feedback on them.

Never lie, exaggerate, or make up anything that is not true just to get the employer’s approval. Many employers now conduct extensive background checks on applicants so it is easy to be caught and lose your credibility.

Top Mistake # 2 – Having grammatical, typographical, and spelling errors

Your resume should be error-free. There is no leeway for wrong grammar, misspelled words or jumbled letters. Mistakes imply that you do not have the prudence to work on your resume. It gives a negative notion about your attitude towards work. Therefore, it is a must that you read your resume many times before submitting. If possible, have it read by another person so that you can be sure that there is no blunder in it.

Top Mistake # 3 – Focusing on duties instead of accomplishments

Many jobseekers discuss their employment history by stating the companies they have worked for and the position they have held. Under this, they go on to further detail by enumerating their duties and responsibilities for that position. However, one must remember that accomplishments are more important than duties.

Instead of highlighting what you did for that position, it is more essential that you emphasize what you achieved when you were in that position. Instead of saying, you were responsible for the financial budgeting of the company, tell them that you achieved to increase income turnover when you held that position. Just make sure that your success stories are measurable so that you can build credibility effectively.

Top Mistake # 4 – Submitting a generic resume and cover letter

It is never all right to submit generic resumes and cover letters to various employers while changing only minor details such as name of the employer you are sending the documents to. Employers have a knack for recognizing a resume that is just made from a standard template. If you cannot come up with an original resume and cover letter, you cannot expect employers to chase after you.

See to it that the skills, qualifications, and credentials highlighted in your resume are relevant to the position you are applying for. This way, it would be easier for an employer to see if you are truly fit for the role.

If you are going to hire a resume service, make sure that you go with one that does not mass-produce the resumes they create. A good resume writing service will work closely with you in producing a resume that highlights your individuality along with your skills and qualifications.

Top Mistake # 5 – Not having a clean, clear and professional layout or formatting

Even before employers would get to read the first line in your resume, the first thing that will catch their eyes is the format and overall structure of the document. Because of this, you have to ensure that you have clean, clear, and professional layout and format for your resume. It would help to study about executive resume writingso that you can come up with a resume that is as good how an executive resume looks like.

Moreover, the organization and presentation of the facts in your resume should be clear and easy to read. Instead of writing block paragraphs, you would want to separate them into bullet points which will save employers time when reading.

More Tips on Writing Resumes

1. Review your resume over and over again to ensure that you avoid all of these mistakes. Do not rely solely on the spell check on your computer but be sure to read it several times yourself.
2. Do not use scented paper or fancy stationery for your resume. Appear professional by using a professional standard paper and formatting. If you must be creative, make sure that your imaginative input into the resume is relevant to the position you are applying for.
3. Be brief and concise. Do not write a novel in your resume. It is possible that with your long employment history, it would take several pages to get all them in writing. However, you should strive to focus on those that are relevant to the position you are applying for and try to be as brief and direct as possible. No beating around the bush if you want to get that job.
4. Find a reputable resume writing company. If you are not confident about your resume writing skills, this is the best way to go. To ensure that you find a reliable company, you can log on to websites such as http://resumelines.com, which compares and evaluates different kinds of resume services.

Again, your resume should be more than just a piece of paper. It should be a compelling testament of your qualifications, credentials, skills, experiences, attributes, and achievements presented in a manner that will catch the interest and attention of prospective employers. Therefore, you have to make sure that you do everything right. After all, your career depends on this piece of paper.