The Top 8 Mistakes You're Making on Your Resume (and How to Fix Them)

Like most job seekers, you probably spent hours polishing up your resume and cover letter before sending them off to the hiring manager at your dream company. Unfortunately, that may not be enough to get you through the door. Your resume could be making you less employable by turning off hiring managers who see one of these three resume mistakes on your application. In this article, we’ll examine the top three resume mistakes and suggest easy fixes to make sure you stand out from the rest of the applicants.

1) Not Tailoring Your Resume to the Job You’re Applying For

Mary was having a hard time finding a job. She had been out of work for months, and her savings were running low. Desperation had started to set in when she saw a job listing that caught her eye. The position required strong writing skills and attention to detail, which were two things Mary was confident she could excel at. However, she knew that her resume wasn’t up to par. It was generic and didn’t highlight her relevant skills and experience.

She decided to take the time to read through the job listing carefully and highlight the skills and qualifications most relevant to the position. She then tailored her resume specifically for this job, highlighting her writing skills and detailing some of her previous experiences that demonstrated her attention to detail. When she submitted her application, she included a custom cover letter that reiterated how her qualifications matched those listed in the job posting.

A few weeks later, Mary received a call from the hiring manager saying that they had chosen her as their top candidate! They were impressed with how well she tailored her resume to match their requirements and said that it was clear she had taken the time to do some research on their company. Thanks to her efforts, Mary landed herself a new job that perfectly suited her skills!

People often make the mistake of not tailoring their resumes to the specific position they are applying for when applying for jobs. While it’s important to have a well-written and error-free resume, simply sending out the same resume for every job will take a lot of work. Hiring managers can tell when you haven’t put in the effort to customize your resume, and it reflects poorly on you as a candidate. Instead, could you take the time to read through the job listing carefully and highlight the skills and qualifications most relevant to the position? By doing this, you will not only make your resume stand out, but you will also demonstrate that you are a good candidate for the job.

Another way to ensure that your resume is tailored for the position you’re applying for is by including keywords from the description or posting requirements. Please be sure to add these words to your summary and include them throughout your professional experience, so there’s no doubt that you have the qualifications.

Many job seekers don’t take advantage of free templates and samples found online, which is another way to ensure that your resume is right for a particular job. Whether you want to use a template or build your own resume from scratch, simply having structure and language makes it easier for recruiters to assess your qualifications quickly. This helps them find promising candidates faster, giving them more time to focus on finding new opportunities.

These days, it can be difficult to make a good impression with just your resume alone. Many hiring managers expect that you’ll present them with a social profile or personal website as well, which is one more thing that you should consider customizing before applying for a job. Not only will you benefit from having a presence online, but recruiters may also use your profiles and sites as an example of how well you represent yourself. It’s always best to showcase your skills and experience in full detail.

As mentioned above, many job seekers don’t know what to write about themselves to stand out and differentiate themselves. For this reason, some people are tempted to exaggerate their accomplishments or lie about previous employment; however, this doesn’t get you anywhere if you’re caught lying during the interview process. Recruiters will recognize discrepancies between what’s written on your resume and what you say during the interview process - such as salary numbers - which won’t bode well for your credibility going forward. If someone needs advice on creating a unique story about themselves using soft skills and action words, we recommend that they look at a service like a Resume Genius.

While it’s good to ensure that your resume is structured correctly, it’s also important to avoid getting caught up in small details and editing until you’ve gotten feedback from friends, family members and career professionals.

It is beneficial to read through examples of professional resumes online or download templates from Google Docs or another service; however, remember that you may need extra help if you want others’ opinions on your work. Not only will a recruiter be able to provide you with real-time feedback based on their experience, but they can also tell you whether or not they believe your resume will make a positive impact. This is why it’s essential to reach out to a recruiter from your desired company and ask for assistance with your resume.

For example, Harvard recommends that job seekers create a short and concise resume that highlights their strengths, provides concrete evidence of success and relevance to the organization and tells the recruiter exactly who they are in two pages or less. If you’re wondering whether or not you’re on track, Harvard suggests asking three questions: Am I writing my resu...