Rookie resume mistakes that are sabotaging your job search

Finding a good job is not easy in the current job market. Making things even more competitive, most employers are advertising remote roles. This causes US job seekers to compete with equally talented individuals from all over the world.

If you are applying for a job today, your resume should be nothing short of perfect. But how can you have a perfect resume when you are making a dozen rookie resume-writing mistakes?

1. Typos, grammatical errors, and missing words

These are some of the most common resume mistakes that we see daily. Most of these mistakes are minor and will not make much of a difference if you are qualified for the job. However, this kind of mistake on your resume tells things about you to a potential employer. Multiple typos indicate that you are careless and unprofessional and that you don’t pay attention to detail. This can cause your job application to get rejected by employers. The only way to avoid this is to proofread your resume several times.

2. Outdated objective statement

Objective statements were very common on resumes a few years ago. Today, they are considered to be outdated. Objective statements have a history of being vague, overused, and generic. Even if you write an objective statement from scratch, you will sound like every other candidate. Since the purpose of an objective statement is to show potential employers the job title you are interested in, you can directly mention your target job title under your name on the resume and omit the objective altogether.

3. Repeated personal pronouns across the resume

Modern resumes are not written in the first person. If you read the resumes of a few successful professionals, you will not find personal pronouns like I, me, my, or we anywhere on the documents. Using personal pronouns on your resume can make you seem you-centric. Review your resume for personal pronouns. If you spot one of them, rewrite the sentence to phrase it differently omitting the pronoun.

4. Vague summary statement

The summary statement provides a snapshot of your career for interested employers. If the summary statement is vague or lukewarm, you will not be making a good start for your resume. Your summary should be written in a way that compels potential employers to read the whole document. Make your summary statement authentic by sharing a few of your best professional achievements related to the role.

5. Inconsistencies in dates

Many job seekers send us resumes with missing employment dates or inconsistent dates. If the dates you have mentioned on your resume do not match the timelines portrayed through your LinkedIn profile or other social media, a potential employer may get doubts about your integrity. Missing dates on your resume indicate that you are trying to cover up a career gap.

6. Irrelevant information in work history

Many job seekers have a habit of including every single one of their past jobs on a resume. This is a bad practice. When a potential employer reads your resume, they don’t want to know all the jobs you have had. They only want to know details about relevant roles that you’ve held. Be strategic when you talk about past roles on your resume. Mention only the most relevant and recent ones to ensure that your resume is tailored to the job you are applying for.

Still, having trouble with your resume? Do you know who can help you? A certified professional resume writer from Resume Mansion. Visit www.resumemansion.com and work with an expert to solve all your resume-related problems.