1. Presenting an inaccurate resume
We can’t emphasize this enough, be honest! Be extra careful that your resume really represents who you are and what you have to offer. If you get an interview based on a resume that does not match you, the interviewer may feel misled. A resume may get you the interview, but you have to do the rest so always make sure your resume is a clear representation of your skills and achievements.
2. Being too creative in your resume
Sometimes, people will like their resume to stand out and will use “pretty” or unusual fonts and colors to catch the eye. Employers are looking for specific characteristics that you could offer, and they will like if you’re creative. However, the structure of your resume is not where you show this. Use regular fonts that are easy to read, such as Times New Roman or Courier. Side note: there are a few jobs where creativity on your resume may play in your favor, such as graphic designer, which is why it’s important to do a research of the position you’re applying to have an idea of what they’re looking for.
3. I statements
Always write your resumes in third person. Do not use the word “I” anywhere in the resume. There are a few other words like bottom line, value added, and many more that vary depending on the article you read but “I” seems to show up in most of them.
4. Long resumes
We use resumes to give a brief explanation of your career history and your skills. Employers value a short resume that they can read quickly and tell them exactly what they need to know. The value is not in the length, but in the content. The longest of any resume should be two pages. Hint: If your putting information from boot camp, you are messing up!!
5. Including information about your cultural background
Including any information that reveals your religion or race may be seen as controversial for the employer. There are many things that the HR department do not want to see and many others that are illegal for them to ask. DO YOUR RESEARCH.
6. Including any other personal information
Following the same idea stated above, we want to avoid employers making wrong assumptions they are not allowed by law to make. For instance, assuming you won’t be able to travel if you’re married. They can’t legally do this but we all know they can find another reason if they really don’t want someone with kids or a spouse at home.
7. Including a photo
Do not use photos on your resume. This information could be considered discriminatory. We do offer the ability to put your profile picture on www.skillmil.com as part of your profile. If the company still wants a resume, then your profile picture will not be part of that request. The simple fact is that if they really want to find out what you look like then they can surf the various social media sites and find your picture.
8. E-mail address
Always include your e-mail address as this is the second most popular way of communicating with potential candidates after your phone number. I should not have to say this but email addresses need to be professional. No email address that hints at how much you drink or your very inappropriate nickname given to you by your buddies when you were younger and wilder. Ex. Dringtilyoupukebigdaddy@yahoo.com will probably raise some eyebrows.
9. Using more than one phone number
Do not include multiple phone numbers in your resume. Write down your primary phone number and make sure to record a professionally sounding voice mail in case you miss a call.
10. Using military jargon
Military jargon isn’t by any means bad, but you want the people reading your resume to be able to determine if you will be a good fit for their company and for this, they need to be able to understand what they are reading. Even though SkillMil translates most of this jargon into civilian terms in the background some companies may still want a resume.
If you are a hiring mananger and have more please add in the comments!
