Over the past six weeks, I have covered everything from the #1 way to ensure your resume beats the system to the best way to replace an objective statement. For the final post I will strive to cover the last 10 miscellaneous resume mistakes I have seen over the past year:
1. Including a photo of yourself. The only time it’s acceptable to include a photo on a resume is if you are in the film or modeling industry. The only “selfie” you want a future employer to see is your LinkedIn profile picture. It’s critical to have a professional headshot that exudes confidence and competence.
2. Fancy or outdated fonts. When it comes to resume fonts, it’s best to stay conservative. What you may think looks professional and fun, an employer may see as childish and difficult to read. It’s best to stick with a Serif font, which helps the reader effective format such as Times New Roman, Bodoni, Garamond, Minion Web, ITC Stone, Serif, and MS Georgia. Serif fonts help “guide the eye” for increased readability and legibility.
3. Salary Information. You will find that a significant number of job applications ask for salary requirements. When you encounter this, it’s best to research the job title and organization on Glassdoor.com to find out what the typical salary range is, and choose a number within that range. However, you don’t want to spell out your salary requirements or past salary information on a resume.
4. Social Media URL’s (with exception to LinkedIn). Most recruiters are savvy enough to find your social media profiles and do their own research if they choose. Do you really want to highlight your Pinterest or Instagram account? When an employer Google’s you, LinkedIn is typically the top result, so make sure your account is your most powerful professional branding statement.
5. Company-specific jargon. Many companies have their own specific software that isn’t applicable anywhere else. However, many different companies use a customer relation’s management (CRM) software, like Salesforce, is a great skill to list. Do your research and find out if the technology is universal or company-specific before you list it on your resume.
6. Unprofessional or out-of-date email address. This mistake can be painful and one of the quickest ways to get into the No pile. Over the years I have come across some inappropriate email addresses that would instantly disqualify individual, however, more often than not, I see emails with birth years listed johnsnow76@gmail.com. Sure an employer can find out how old you are, but you don’t need to advertise your age through your email. Using an out-of-date email address can also easily date you. Gmail and Outlook are the only two email servers you want to use for your job search. Hotmail, AOL, Yahoo, and Comcast are all considered out-of-date.
7. Personal pronouns. “I,” “me,” “she,” or “my”. When employers read a resume they know it’s about you, so there is no need to say, “I cultivated sales for my ultra high net worth (UHNW) clients with investable assets.” Instead, you should start with a power word such as , “Cultivated sales for ultra-high net worth (UHNW) clients with investable assets valued over $30M.”
8. References. This used to be a common practice 10 years ago, then employers started asking for your top three professional references on a separate reference sheet. Now, most employers expect to see recommendations on your LinkedIn profile. It’s best to have a separate reference sheet prepared and to ask for recommendations from those references on LinkedIn.
9. Age. There is no need to give away your age, whether you are a 21-year-old college graduate or, 65-year-old seeking a second career. Some people give away their age without even realizing it, typically by listing a college graduation date over ten years old.
10. Hobbies. Listing your hobbies isn’t professional and typically isn’t relevant. However, there are a few instances where a hobby may be a key selling point for the job target. For example, if your hobby is playing golf and you are applying for a Vice President of Sales within the Golf or Sporting Goods Industry, it would be relevant to briefly describe your hobby within the Summary of Qualifications.
To ensure your resume mistakes aren’t costing you the job send a copy of your resume to cassiecareerconfidence@gmail.com.
To learn more about the first 5 Deadly Resume Mistakes, click the links below:
#1- Not tailoring your resume towards each and every position
What are the systems that 95% of employers use to review and toss out resumes?What is the #1 way to ensure your resume beats the system?
#2- Not including quantifiable data
When hiring managers only take between 10-15 seconds to decide if your resume is going in the Yes or the No pile, what is the best way to get your resume noticed?
#3-Including an Objective Statement
An objective statement does not tell employers what valuable skills and qualifications you bring to the table. What is the best way to replace an objective statement?
#4- Your Resume is Too Long
What is considered to be too long for a resume?What are the exceptions to the length rule?
#5-Grammar/Punctuation Errors
60 % of errors on a resume are grammatical. One of the easiest ways to determine if you have grammar or punctuation errors in your resume is by usingGrammarly.com.
#6-Including Short-Term Work Experience
Discover the three rules for determining whether to put short-term experience on a resume.
Cassie Olson, Founder of Career Confidence, is a professional resume writer, former Director of Career Services and Veteran Transition Specialist. Member of The National Resume Writers Association (The NRWA) and the Professional Resume Writers Association (PARW).
Career Confidence resume clients have successfully landed careers with: Amazon, UPS, Apple, Starbucks, Southern Acquisitions, CACI, CGI, Red Cross, State of Virginia, CSM Railways, Cabelas, Quicken Loans, Triple Canopy, Nexius, and much more.
What other resume mistakes should be on this list? Leave your comments below…