Resume Mistakes that Make an Employer Hate You

Resumes are the bread and butter of the unemployed in our current industry. Having a great resume will get you the job opportunity that you deserve each and every time. knowing what hiring managers are looking for from the inside out is a great way to create a document, your resume that gets the job done. These are mistakes that make an employer hate you and that should be avoided at all costs.

Time is critical for decision makers

A hiring manager needs to be able to read your resume in a short amount of time. This doesn’t mean to write a half of a page resume. However, don’t write a novel when submitting your resume either. Make certain that your resume is not too long or too short.

Hiring managers are literally reading hundreds of resumes for each job position. If you have a clear and concise resume you will stand out. A resume should say in 20 seconds or less how you are bringing  assets to the company, how you can generate new business or retain customers as well as adding value to the company by working there.

Make a resume that has focus and direction

This is critical for a hiring manager. There are a lot of resumes that are submitted that are not dedicated to the job at hand. Your resume should be directional for the open position, intelligent, easy to follow along with meaningful. Make certain that even if you have some job hopping that you can connect skills you acquire with the current open position.

Some knowledge of the industry for which you apply is needed

Although a lot of people are finding they will have to accept jobs in a field they don’t necessarily want, you still need to connect with the industry on your resume. Although you may have went to school for Modern Art you need to apply for a business job opportunity and make it work with your resume. You must connect your to the target industry in each resume submitted.

Keep the most important information at the top

Hiring managers are busy people. They are reading hundreds of resumes and will get bored easy. Reading all of these resumes is like watching paint dry. This being said, keep as much of your important information as possible at the top. They will catch what you want them to before losing interest.

What are you bringing to the table with your skills and education that someone else is not? What can you provide that someone else cannot? Where do you fit into the company picture? Make the important material known immediately.

Remember to list achievements instead of what you have done

Don’t list what you did, list what you achieved. For an example, “I worked as the business rep for the Midwest Division”. This is great. Though, what sounds better is “I worked as the business rep for the Midwest Division and increased marketing sales by 30% during my first quarter”. See the difference? You may have worked for the Midwest marketing division and burned down the break room for all they know. Brag a little on your accomplishments with work history information in a resume.

Don’t lie on your resume

Exaggerations can get awful close to lying. Avoid lies because they will eventually catch up to you. There is never a good reason to lie on a resume. Decision makers will routinely check information and you don’t want to get caught in a lie and ruin your chances of a job and your reputation.

If you have to say something unpleasant there are different ways to say the same thing. Find one if needed.

Use the right resume for the right job

Don’t use a cookie cutter resume. Use the appropriate resume for the job. There are at a minimum 10 different types of resumes that include functional, chronological and other types. When you start cutting and pasting a hiring manager will notice and you could miss out on a great job. Additionally, this is a great way to increase the likelihood of making errors and mistakes that look ridiculous on a great resume.

Don’t submit a resume that makes an employer hate you. Stay away from these things and fashion a winning resume.