If you are a regular reader of our blog, you likely know what to do and what not to do when creating a resume. Test how much you have learned with this blog! We are going to show you different sections of a resume and would like you to spot the mistakes that were made!
Ready? Here we go!
1. Contact Information Section of the Resume
Let's start with the contact information. Here is an example of a contact information section of a resume with multiple errors. Can you spot them?
Here are three errors we caught:
No need to list your street address. It is advised you keep that private, and only list your town and state.
The email address is not very professional. Instead, use your first name or first initial and your last name. This will give a positive first impression, instead of leaving the hiring manager wondering if reaching out to you may be a risk.
The LinkedIn URL has not been personalized. This is easy to change (and shows you are savvy with technology). Here is a link with step-by-step instructions, in case you need assistance.
Below is an example of a much better contact information section on a resume: (As a reminder, make sure this section is in the body of your resume, not the header, so the Applicant Tracking System sees the information!)
2. Executive Summary Section of the Resume
Following the contact information is the executive summary section of the resume. See if you can identify what is wrong in the example below (it should be VERY obvious).
If you said, "It isn't an executive summary," you are correct. Years ago "Objective Statements" were very common on resumes. But, times change and so do resume standards. Currently, hiring managers and recruiters are looking for an executive summary, not an objective. They want to know what you will provide them and how you will fill their need, not what you are seeking in a position. Check out the example below, which demonstrates both a personal headline, and an executive summary:
3. Work Experience Section of the Resume
The work experience section is the "meat" of your resume, and needs to be done properly so you get called for an interview. See if you can spot any issues with the example below:
How did you do? There are a few things to point out here. First, did you notice the glaring spelling error? The word "levels" is missing an e. It is vital that you thoroughly proofread your resume so you avoid this type of mistake, as you want to show you are a detail-oriented worker.
There also isn't much information included with each of these roles. Where are the actions and results? Hiring managers have told us they really don't like to see "responsible for" on a resume. That doesn't tell them if you did what you were supposed to do or not. Were you successful or a failure?
In addition, this resume includes a wide variety of experiences. Are they all relevant? Does the painting of the mural show any skills that pertain to the desired job opening? This resume likely has extra information that isn't necessary, and may distract from why the candidate is qualified for the job they desire. The list of experiences should be narrowed down to only those that make sense.
Finally, make sure the resume you create is something an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can handle. We would advise you to use plain bullets instead of the fancy ones used here.
Did you notice all of those errors in the example above? Let's show a corrected version below. See if you can see the ways it has improved.
4. Education Section of the Resume
Many people are used to seeing the Education section of a resume near the top. However, for anyone who has been out of school for a few years or more, the education section comes at the end of the document. Let's see how our job candidate finished out their resume:
There are a few issues here. First, the dates don't make sense. Could Sally really have obtained her Master of Science degree five years before her Bachelor of Science degree? Doubtful. There is a typo in there that she didn't catch. Not only could that make it seem like she is not detail-oriented, but it may raise a red flag for the hiring manager. Is this resume honest or not? Again, it is vital that you thoroughly proofread your resume, including verifying all dates are correct before you submit.
One more thing to note: Sally included a "References" section. This, like the "Objective Statement" is very outdated. Hiring managers may cast the resume aside, assuming the candidate is outdated too. Make sure you are following current resume guidelines before you submit a job application.
Let's look at an updated version of this resume. The dates are correct and the references have been removed.
Keeping track of all of the things you must do to provide a high-quality resume can be overwhelming. That is why Revision Resume is here to help. We would be glad to help you with your resume, so you don't make any of the mistakes Sally Jane made in the example above. Contact us so we can assist you! We offer both resume creations and resume critiques.
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