Newsflash! Your resume is not about you; it is about what you can do for the company you’re applying to.
Start by thoroughly researching the organization and understanding the position requirements. With that knowledge, craft a concise, targeted resume, beginning with a compelling professional summary (what we call your unique selling proposition) that highlights the value you bring. Throughout the resume, continue showcasing why you are the ideal candidate, focusing on how you’re uniquely qualified to meet the company’s needs. Once you’ve done that, review the tips below to ensure you know what to do, and what to avoid, in your resume.
The following pitfalls are common red flags we see in resumes that can result in a quick trip to the trash bin. Avoid them.
- Conflicting information across your professional networking sites.
Ensure that your job titles, dates of employment, and descriptions of your roles and achievements are uniform across your resume, LinkedIn, personal website, and any other professional profiles. This uniformity reinforces your professional brand and portrays you as a meticulous and trustworthy candidate.
Does the information on your branding sites (Website, LinkedIn) conflict with your resume? Is your LinkedIn profile photo compatible with your role and skill level? (Remember, LinkedIn is a professional networking site, not a dating app, TikTok, a casting agency, or a modeling gig.) Be mindful of how you are presenting yourself and never post compromising statements, even on your personal social media. Don’t put anything in writing you would not say in an interview.
Pro Tip: Ensure your information is consistent across all venues.
Consistency across all platforms not only prevents confusion but also builds trust with potential employers.
- Using the “One–Size–Fits–All” Approach.
Tailor your resume by highlighting bullet points that are relevant to the job position and emphasizing skills that directly relate to the job description. This targeted approach shows employers that you have thoughtfully considered how you can contribute to their specific needs, increasing your chances of standing out among other candidates
Pro Tip: Specificity enhances credibility; shift your focus to the employer’s needs.
Research the company’s mission, values, and recent projects to tailor your resume to align your skills and experiences with its objectives.
- Vague language.
Phrases such as “familiar with” and “participated in” imply you don’t have the necessary skills to stand on your own. Replace “meh” verbs with action verbs. For example, Have led teams that grew revenue” could be “Increased profit by leading cross-collaborative teams to achieve a 15% rise in increased net income after taxes (NIAT).
Pro Tip: Use precise language to state your capabilities action statements that clearly illustrate your accomplishments. Quantifying your achievements with numbers, percentages, or specific outcomes adds impact.
- Misdirection and exaggeration.
According to a 2023 Forbes survey, 85% of job applicants lie on resumes through flat-out dishonesty, inflated job titles and compensation, exaggerated accomplishments, and “tailored” employment dates.
Pro Tip: Integrity and Authenticity Matter.
Honesty is crucial in resume writing. False statements can be easily uncovered during background checks or interviews, potentially disqualifying you from consideration. Authentic representation of your skills and experiences fosters trust and sets the foundation for a transparent, professional relationship.
- Careless mistakes: typos, poor grammar, spelling, inconsistent formatting.
Hiring managers frequently red-line good candidates whose resumes contain errors. How’s your punctuation (incorrect use of periods, semicolons, colons.) Are there typos? Have you checked your grammar, spelling, capitalization, and for the improper use of words such as “complementary” versus “complimentary?” Did you fall into the easy trap of the commonly misused word “led?” The past tense of “to lead” is “led,” not “lead” as in the metal. Are your margins, alignment, indentation, and spacing consistent? These errors all shout that you have a lack of attention to detail.
Pro Tip: A resume free of errors shows your commitment to quality and your ability to produce polished work.
Resumes are written in first person implied; make sure the verb form matches. An easy way to check is to read the sentence aloud, say the missing word “I” at the beginning, and ask yourself, “did that sound right?”
- Not cyber-friendly.
Will your resume information transfer properly when uploaded to the Internet? Is it ATS compatible? According to Forbes, nearly 90% of employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Seventy-five percent of these resumes fail because of poor or inconsistent formatting, lack of achievement-backed content, or missing keywords. Functional or skills-based résumés are not ATS compatible.ATS does not “see” information in headers, footers, text boxes. Tables and columns are often translated into a jumble of words. ATS has become savvy with keyword stuffing. It is not only questionable from an ethical standpoint; it also almost never works.
Pro Tip: Optimize your resume for digital screening.
Understanding ATS can significantly improve your resume’s success. Incorporating relevant terms organically throughout your resume is essential as is structuring your resume with clear headings, standard section titles (e.g., Experience, Education, Skills.)
Avoid complex formatting, such as columns, to ensure your information will accurately parse. Want to box something? Use a one column, one row table. Pretty as they are, many online templates, such as those through Canva, are typically not ATS compatible. Microsoft Word is still the best standard.
- Inconsistent formatting.
Have you used the same font and consistent sizing (header vs. body) throughout? Is your spacing consistent? Times New Roman is considered old school and overused. Also, do not use a font size smaller than 10 pt. because it can cause eye fatigue for a reader. Finally, don’t use grey text. Grey text is hard to read.
Pro Tip: Visual Cohesion Enhances Readability.
A uniform structure helps guide the reader’s eye through the document logically, making it easier to locate key information quickly. Use a well-known and common sans-serif (without the little feet) font like Arial, Calibri, or Tahoma between 10pt and 11pt. Strategic use of white space prevents the resume from appearing cluttered, allowing important sections to stand out.
Final Thoughts
Treat your resume as a strategic marketing tool that sells your personal brand. Your resume is designed to get you an interview – period. In your opening statement, clearly and concisely showcase the skills, qualifications, and value you bring to each employer in the six seconds they’ll spend reading it. Then use the prime real estate in the top third of page one to encourage them to want to know more.
Executive Resume Writing: A Strategic Partnership
With decades of combined experience, Sandra Allison and Dr. Jeannine Bennett have formed a strategic partnership to provide specialized resume writing services for executives, C-suite leaders, and board candidates. Combining deep expertise in personal branding, leadership transitions, and board-level positioning, their collaborative approach ensures your unique strengths stand out to decision-makers and executive search firms. Whether you’re aiming to elevate your career or secure a board seat, Sandra and Jeannine have the insights and experience to get you there.
Ready to elevate your career?
Connect with us:
Sandra Allison: https://saresumeservices.com/contact/
Jeannine Bennett: https://visiontopurpose.com/contact-us/
