Resumes. The word inspires fear and insecurity in the
hearts of job seekers everywhere: What do I put on it? What do I
leave out? How should it be formatted? Looking at that blank
sheet of paper, knowing you have to sell yourself to complete
strangers, is disconcerting at best and terrifying at worst.
Helpful Hints
A resume should be filled with academic, work, and activity
experiences that convey a sense of your skills and potential. It
should be well constructed, clear, and free of mistakes.
Easy, right? Not exactly. Top recruiters report seeing simple,
basic mistakes all the time regardless of candidates'
backgrounds, education, or experience. This shows that many
candidates just do not take the time to properly prepare even the
most basic resume.
The Most Common Resume
Mistakes
Typos:
Don't rely on spell checkers to catch mistakes. Double check
every part of your address as well. You'd be amazed at how many
people reverse digits in their phone numbers or zip codes!
Grammatical errors:
Just because everything is spelled correctly doesn't mean that
everything is used correctly. If you're not absolutely positive,
look it up!
Inconsistent
formatting:
Did you bold one header but forget to do another? Do all your
tabs line up? Employers look at your resume as a writing sample
that you've had time to polish and proofread. It should be
flawless.
Missing information:
People sometimes forget to list something as critical as their
phone number or the name of the school they are attending.
Wrong paper:
You want your resume to be read—why make it difficult? Stick to
white or cream-colored paper. Many companies will photocopy or
scan your resume. Dark or textured paper won't reproduce well, if
at all.
Remember, even the most careful and thorough person can make
mistakes—it's always best to get a second pair of eyes to look at
your resume before sending it. Ask your roommate, friends,
family, professor... anyone who you can trust to give you an
honest critique.
