Resumes Arent Important - They are Everything When it Comes to Getting an Interview
Employers and recruiters receive hundreds of resumes for every position they are trying to fill. To select their shortlist of candidates to interview, they look for the most common resume mistakes most applicants make and eliminate them first.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, make sure you avoid these common mistakes.
Ten Resume Mistakes to Avoid
Whether you've been downsized, are looking for a career change or are just starting out, your resume speaks volumes about you. If your resume doesn't make it past the first cut, you're doomed; no matter how qualified you are. Below are ten common mistakes to avoid when putting your resume together. Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.
1. Multiple pages ? You need to be concise. Keep it to one page and one page only. If you can't highlight your talents on one page, you're giving the message that you are unorganized and tend to go on and on.
2. Fancy paper ? If your skills don't speak for themselves, then your fancy paper isn't going to make a bit of difference.
3. Fancy font ? Same as above. Don't try to set yourself apart with a different font on your resume. Set yourself apart by being uniquely qualified.
4. Irrelevant info ? No one really cares that you were a singing waiter if you're applying for an accountant job.
5. Outdated information ? Does it matter than you had a newspaper route and were on the high school cheerleading squad 24 years ago? No, not in the least. Leave it off.
6. Typos and misspellings ? You would think this is an obvious one, but you'd be amazed at the number of resumes received with big blaring mistakes.
7. Falsified information ?Greatly elaborated credentials are the same as lies. Do not list diplomas, certifications, affiliations or awards that you did not earn. Just don't do it. It'll come back to bite you in the butt.
8. Attachments ? At the resume stage do not send any attachments, whatsoever. If you are granted an interview, at that time you could bring in whatever it is you're so hot to get into the selecting official's hands. The person accepting the resumes will likely just throw it in the round file.
9. Elaborating too much ? Place of employment, job title and brief, very brief description of job responsibilities are all you need. Don't complete a whole paragraph for each job you've held.
10. No cover letter ? Writing a good cover letter is a bit of an art. However, any cover letter is better than none. Just keep the same principles in mind with your letter: Brevity, relevant and free from typos.
If you can avoid these simple ten resume mistakes, you're more than half way there to getting an interview. Once you have your foot in the door you can really shine for the boss. If you don't make it past the first cut, due to any of the above fatal mistakes, your beautiful resume will be used to wipe up coffee spills or will be added to the recycle pile! Don't let that happen to you.
Roger Clark is senior editor at Top Career Resumes who provide free information to job seekers on all aspects of finding a new job and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
 Google News Updated : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:11:53 GMT US lost 2.6 million jobs in 2008 - International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune - By Louis Uchitelle NEW YORK: US employers shed 2.6 million jobs in 2008, the worst year since 1945, the government reported Friday, and a rapidly deteriorating economy promises more significant losses ahead. Video: Jobless Rate Jumps to 7.2 Percent in December Unemployment hits 7.2 percent Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:56:06 GMT Boston fire truck smashes into building; 4 injured - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Fire Department says a ladder truck has crashed into a high-rise apartment building, injuring at least four firefighters. Fire truck crashes into Boston building Boston firefighter killed when truck crashes into building Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:01:03 GMT UN agency to resume Gaza aid work - BBC News
BBC News - The UN aid agency Unrwa is to resume operations in Gaza as soon as possible after receiving assurances on safety from Israel, a spokeswoman said. Video: Rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel UN aid chief disappointed Gaza truce call ignored Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:25:09 GMT Report: COBRA cost outweighs Florida jobless benefit - Bizjournals.com
Bizjournals.com - Florida is one of nine states in which the average premium for COBRA, providing health care coverage for laid-off workers and their families, equals or exceeds the average unemployment benefits, according to a study by Families USA. Unemployed: Out of Luck, Out of Health Care Health insurance no bargain for unemployed: group Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:25:59 GMT Ukraine limits gas consumption as cut-off bites - Reuters
Reuters - By Pavel Polityuk and Guy Faulconbridge KIEV, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Ukraine limited gas supplies to industrial customers on Friday to ensure the pipeline system remained operational, the latest sign that the dispute is starting to further sap Ukraine's ... Video: Ukraine is blackmailing us Putin Europe Kept Waiting for Gas Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:08:44 GMT SCENARIOS: Challenges for Obama intelligence team - Reuters Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama on Friday named retired Adm. Dennis Blair to oversee US spy agencies as director of national intelligence, and chose former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta as CIA director. Obama completes national security team Pelosi on Panetta: ''Impeccable judgment, unquestioned integrity'' Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:35:19 GMT Palin: Media Portrayal Would Be 'Prettier' If She'd Been Dem VP ... - ABC News
ABC News - By LEE FERRAN Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is still fuming over the coverage she received during the presidential campaign and claims that if she were from a different "class" or political party, the her coverage would have much "prettier. Palin: Crazy or Crazy Like a Fox? Finally! Sarah Strikes Back at the Mainstream Media Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:32:12 GMT Increase Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Are you desperately trying to find a telecommute job so... Read More Studies show that more than 50% of people are unhappy... Read More It is rumored that the only word William Shakespeare wrote... Read More If you ever studied any probability theory in high school... Read More You don't write a resume every day. Not even every... Read More Goal Setting & ResearchYou can only set informed career goals... Read More Have you given up on yourself? Have you decided to... Read More A career consultant can diagnose and overhaul a troubled resume.... Read More Is your inner brat taking over your job? Everyone has... Read More Career change is no walk in the park.If it was... Read More Networking is still known as a great job-search strategy, yet... Read More After a thirty (30) second glance lots of resumes get... Read More Why Lawyers Should Eat Bananas by Simon Tupman is a... Read More You'll get wet but the reward just might be a... Read More You are one of the fortunate few who have not... Read More When the word "networking" is used, we tend to think... Read More There are hundreds of varieties of Consultants these days. We... Read More Many people are working at jobs they don't want and... Read More Travel nursing is becoming one of our nation's fastest growing... Read More Anyone can find a job. That's right, I said "anyone".... Read More An interviewer's mission is to assess your qualifications compared to... Read More You don't have to look very far to find fascinating... Read More CIO Magazine ran an article entitled, "Ten Mistakes CIO's Too... Read More "So, why don't you tell me about yourself?" is the... Read More There are numerous tools and resources available to guide job... Read More
Adsense
websites
Dont Quit Your Day Job! Convincing Your Boss To Let You Telecommute, Part 1 of 2
How to Change Careers and Still Pay the Bills - 5 Key Steps
The Interviewable Resume
Free Resume Examples: More Is Better
3 Resume Secrets the Pros Use
Goal Setting - Road Map To Achieving Your Career Goals
Have You Given Up On Yourself?
Five Biggest Resume Mistakes You Can Fix Yourself
Are You Taking Your Inner Brat to Work?
The 10 Biggest Career Change Mistakes - And How to Avoid Them
Create a Network and Catapult Your Job Search
How To Choose The Right Resume Format
Staying In Shape
How to Change Career Horses in Mid-Stream
Counter-Offers: Do They Merit Consideration?
Personal Contacts: The Key to Successful Networking
Consultants - If We Cant Laugh At Ourselves?
Are You Eking Out a Living, and Cant Get What You Want from a Job?
Finding the Right Travel Nursing Placement Agency
Finding a Job Under Tough Circumstances
Interview Skills That Attract Offers
Fascinating Ways to Make a Living Doing What You Love May Be Closer Than You Think...
Pebbles in Your Shoe Dont Only Hurt your Foot But Cause Back and Hip Problems!
So, Why Dont You Tell Me About Yourself?
The Top 10 Mistakes Job Seekers Should Avoid In Contacting An Employer
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
How To Get A Job Fast
In today's unpredictable economy, the idea of job security with... Read More
Free Resume Template: The ONLY One Youll Ever Need
WARNING: This article is likely to make you mad.In fact,... Read More
Travel Light to Work
As a frequent traveler, my goal for each trip is... Read More
Why It Is Impossible To Raise Your Standard Of Living Working A Job
Everything in nature has been endowed with what it needs... Read More
Be Prepared for the Unexpected
How long has it been since you last had to... Read More
Finding Employees For Insurance Industry Jobs
Finding the right employee for any job opening can be... Read More
Now, Do You Have Any Questions?
"Who is that hot babe in the picture?" isn't the... Read More
Job Search: The End of the Line
There is an end to the job search tunnel!It has... Read More
Business Dress for Women: Making Impact
Buying a suit can be an important investment when you... Read More
7 Secrets of a Highly-Effective Resume Cover Letter
Just like the late, great Rodney Dangerfield, the "humble" cover... Read More
4 Niche Job-Search Tips
Looking for a job on the Internet can be daunting.... Read More
Pair Your Powerful Resume with a Great Cover Letter
Every great resume deserves a great cover letter.A cover letter... Read More
Are You Making These Common Job Interview Mistakes?
Going to an interview without a plan of action is... Read More
How to Conquer Job Hunting Apathy
Jack, downsized from his last job, was frozen in a... Read More
Are You Winning the Talent Wars?
How many times have you heard or read, "Our employees... Read More
Spiritual Practices Offer Peace and Acceptance
Facing career transitions and daily life challenges can leave us... Read More
Chicken Soup for Job Seekers
Do you want to change your job but don't know... Read More
Resurrecting the Perfect Resume, Part One
Is your resume dead? Don't be so quick to say,... Read More
What Turns Potential Employers ON; What Turns Them OFF?
According to an annual survey conducted by the National Association... Read More
Avoid a Three-ring Circus with These New Interviewing Strategies
I referenced the circus because I just finished another interviewing... Read More
A Peek at Nursing as a Career
We need more people to choose nursing as a career.... Read More
Choose Your References Wisely!
So, you need to submit employment references. A simple task,... Read More
The 4 Job Search Facts You Need To Know!
Are you harboring bitterness or anger towards your current or... Read More
Updating Your Plum Job Now That Youre a Parent
It's startling to discover how having kids changes the way... Read More
In Control - Inside Tips on Interview Success
No, you can't control how the interview will be conducted,... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment |