Creating a resume is one of the most essential tasks to complete before starting a job search. A nice CV can play a decisive role in a candidate’s career. It reveals one’s both professional and personal skills. However, some common mistakes can be easily made, especially for the first time. This is why we hope to point out a few things that should never be made when making a good resume.
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The first mistake is using cliches. You will often catch yourself writing something you have probably heard before. For example, “I will do my best” or “I am a hard worker”. It is obvious that employers have heard these phrases before. It is always better to avoid saying something predictable. The key to a good resume is to stand out above the rest. Don’t hesitate to make yourself unique. That is why we highly recommend googling something like “Examples of typical CVs” and writing a completely different one.
Grammar is important for any kind of document. It may seem easy, but even educated adults can struggle with words and spelling sometimes. The second piece of advice is to use helpful tools like Grammarly that check grammar and spelling. All in all, it’s not difficult to go over and check the sentences. Another way is asking someone for help. It is important because it shows candidates’ responsibility level and plays a decisive role.
Always make sure that your resume is up-to-date with what you are qualified in and what is important. People tend to fill out the CV with the info that will make them valuable. If the employer checks it up and finds out that qualifications have expired or have become irrelevant, it can make you look like a fraud. Fill in your resume with facts and things the employer will be most drawn to. Check your qualifications to see if they still hold up, even after only a few years.
Sometimes people want to look better than they are, and that’s a bad strategy. A candidate should never lie about his skills and abilities. Foremost, it can be easily checked with a test task. Secondly, a new company may contact someone from the previous work and will be surprised with lies. The candidate will gain much stress, a lot of issues, and ruined authority. Honesty is always a good partner.
An employer is looking for someone who can meet the requirements. For some companies, this is about your professional responsibilities and nothing more. A candidate can write hundreds of words about his numerous accomplishments. However, if they don’t relate to the job, it won’t make any sense. That’s why it is important to write about the qualifications that directly relate to the position. Do not bore the employer on accomplishments that have nothing to do with what they are asking. Moreover, unnecessary information can change the focus of the whole CV.
One more mistake to consider is the lack of specifics. The more precise CV is, the better. People may not include specific information for many reasons. They may not remember something about a previous position or don’t include the details of their latest experience because of some unpleasant situations. However, we live in times of technology and progress, so hiding some important information may result in unpleasant consequences. Once again – be honest and sincere.
Money is important, but never put it in the first place. Even more, a candidate should mention the expected salary only if it is required by the employer. In other cases, don’t include this information in your CV. A better strategy is to notice how a candidate can personally contribute to the company and improve its results.
Make sure that the applied position has been specified. If it is not – the employer will need to re-read and delve into all the information you provide, so that finally he can come up with what kind of job a candidate is suitable for. A resume without a goal is extra work for the reader. The more specific the goal is, the more likely a company will invite a candidate for an interview.
Carefully read what exactly is required in order to get a particular job. What are professional skills that make a candidate suitable for this position? The fact that you won a prize in chemistry at school is great, but not so great for the interview for an editor position. Try to focus the employer’s attention on the benefits they will get after hiring. Don’t overload the CV with unnecessary information.
The desire to apply for 50 jobs with the same resume is very tempting, but it may not bring any results. The main mistake when writing a resume is to think that one single option will fit all the responses.
Spend a little more time putting together multiple resumes for different job categories. Consider more personalized cover letters.
