These common resume mistakes are sabotaging your job search

Sending out resume after resume and not hearing anything from employers is quite frustrating, especially if you are on a tight timeline for your job search. There could be a number of things wrong with the job application that is getting you rejected from every place. Most likely, it is your resume that needs a revamp. Here are a few resume mistakes that you could be making right now:

Resume Design Mistakes

These are the mistakes that you are making while designing and styling your resume. There are so many kinds of resume design mistakes you could be making, but we will discuss three of those in this article.

Mistake #1: Your resume is too long

If your resume exceeds more than one to three pages, it is considered to be too long in the US. If your resume is too long, that means you have either included irrelevant personal information on your resume or you have added details of unrelated work experience.

Mistake #2: The resume format is too distracting

If your resume includes a lot of formatting elements such as bold and italicized text, underlined text, multiple font sizes, unnecessary capitalization, and colored text, it makes for a difficult read. You must also ensure that the resume margins, lines, and bullets are all aligned. Remove fancy bullet points in favor of square or round bullets.

Mistake #3: Spelling and grammar errors on your resume

Having several spelling and grammar mistakes on your resume indicates to potential employers that you don’t pay attention to detail, produce poor-quality work, and are unaware of tools that you can use to make your work easy. Also, you will come out looking like a weak writer with several mistakes on your resume.

Resume Content Mistakes

These are the resume mistakes that you have made while producing the content of the document. We will discuss three types of resume content mistakes today.

Mistake #4: your resume makes for a dull read

You need to ensure that your resume is not a boring read for the hiring manager. Avoid including laundry lists of job duties instead of professional achievements. If your resume includes buzzwords that add zero value to your position, remove those.

Mistake #5: Multiple inconsistencies between your resume and LinkedIn profile

You need to add a link to an updated LinkedIn profile when creating the contact information section of your resume. Employers will definitely check out your LinkedIn profile when they review your resume. If your LinkedIn profile shows a career gap where you have stretched the dates on your resume to hide it, you will instantly be rejected from the competition.

Mistake #6: Job hopping is apparent on your resume

If you have listed multiple positions on your resume with very short employment periods, you will be seen as a job hopper by anyone who views your resume. This is considered a huge resume red flag. However, if you have been promoted multiple times, or changed jobs to take on bigger roles, present it in an impressive manner on your resume.