If you want to land the job of your dreams, you need a resume that stands out from the crowd. Employers examine every detail of candidates resumes. Any mistakes, typos, or outdated and missing information, could mean the difference between you getting the job you want and having your resume thrown into the trash with the others.
You Include Physical Information
This is a resume, not a dating profile. You do not need to put your age, height, weight, eye color, race, marital status or any other physical information. In fact, including this information opens the door to employers breaking the law and discriminating against candidates based on race, marital status, or age.
You Are Not Using Keywords
The modern recruitment department likely uses applicant tracking systems (ATS) as part of their screening process. This means the human resource department uses a program to filter through resumes and only passes the resumes which contain industry-specific keywords onto the hiring managers.
To identify keywords, first, think about what skills and qualifications the employer is likely to be looking for. If you are applying for a technical position, this could be the names of specific software you have used, or if it is a teaching position, it could be the course books you have dealt with.
If you are stuck on where to find keywords, go to the job description. Look at the language used to advertise the position and outline the candidate requirements. If they mention a specific skill, like communication, in your resume, rather than mentioning your strong writing skills, mention your strong communication skills. This will help make your resume more ATS-friendly and help you get past the initial screening.
You Use a Dated Font and Design
Like anything else, resume designs change with time. What was professional looking and sleek in the early 2000s, think Times New Roman, is drab and dated now. You should be using a modern font, like Calibri or Cambria.
The design is also important. At one time, it was popular to have an objective statement as a short introduction. However, now you are better off with a value statement of one or two sentences that contain keywords about your experience and goals.
If you are in doubt, use a resume template specifically designed for your industry. Those applying for work in the finance sector should use accounting and finance resume templates.
You List Hobbies and Interests
In most cases, your hobbies and interests are not relevant information to place on your resume. If employers are interested in taking your application further, they may ask you about your passions outside of work in an interview. But your resume should be direct and concise, and, chances are, there is information about you that is more relevant for the position than your love of long walks on the beach and viral cat videos.
Keep your resume updated and in line with latest industry trends and designs to give yourself the best chance of being selected for an interview. It is no longer simply enough to have the relevant experience and education; if you cannot present this in an elegant and professional way, it could harm your employment opportunities.
What an informative post. I’ve been looking to update my CV, and now I know it’s time. While I haven’t listed hobbies or physical attributes it for decades, I am guilty of loving the classic look of Times New Roman. Thanks for sharing these tips, Chantal!