Avoid These 7 Resume Mistakes for Job Search Success

Most people don’t enjoy putting together a resume. Writing about yourself is rarely easy, and it can be even harder when you have to “sell yourself” by highlighting your accomplishments.

As a result, people often either toss a resume together quickly without much thought or obsess over every little detail. Either approach can lead to including information that no employer really wants to read.

How bad is it? Resumes are often riddled with errors, so much so that CareerBuilder holds an annual survey of the Most Outrageous Resume Mistakes Employers Have Found. Most mistakes in the application process occur on resumes. The worst part about including unnecessary information or errors is that your resume might be the only thing a potential employer sees. Why? Because no one wants to interview someone who can’t even get their resume right. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid.

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Including your interests and hobbies:

A resume is meant to showcase your work experience and education, not your weekend hobbies. However, people often include information about their interests, like basket weaving, swimming, or going to the movies. The common justification is that it shows they are a well-rounded person. In reality, you should only include hobbies or interests if they are professionally relevant. For example, mentioning your interest in swimming is appropriate if you are applying for a job as a physical trainer.

Listing all of your primary education schools:

If you’re a high school student and you’re applying for a job at a local retail chain, include your high school under education. You can even note any amazing accomplishments you’ve had there if you want, but you don’t need to. There’s no reason to ever list your middle and grade school information. If you’re a college graduate, never put any schools on your resume before college, there’s just no reason to do so.  If you graduated high school but have not attended college, you can probably get by without an education section.

Writing an objective:

Objectives on resumes were once prevalent (and somewhat expected). Whether or not to include an objective is a bit of a bone of contention, but the general consensus is to leave this out. Having one is an old idea and just adds clutter to your resume. Most hiring managers want to see that you have experience in doing the job, not that your goal is to gain experience. You want your resume to show what you can offer them, not what you’d like them to provide you with. Consider putting a summary statement or, if you are looking to save space, just start with your experience.

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Having salary expectations:

Most experts will tell you to avoid discussing salary requirements during an interview until the last interview round.  It does not make any sense to include this information on your resume. Discussing how much compensation you want to be paid is a challenging conversation at best. It’s better to let them tell you what they’re willing to pay first and then negotiate from there if necessary. If your resume includes a salary number that’s higher than what they feel the job deserves, chances are you won’t get an interview at all. Or worse, you could end up lowballing yourself if they see you’re willing to accept a salary lower than what they were planning to offer.

Dating things besides your work history and education:

It’s recommended to include dates for your education and work experience on your resume. Extracurricular activities in college, volunteer work, or professional organizations don’t necessarily require dates, but should still be listed. Hiring managers may not focus much on these sections unless they are relevant to the job or particularly intriguing. If you believe these experiences are important enough to include dates, it might be better to list them under your work experience instead.

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Leaving gaps:

Gaps in your resume are a big red flag. If you were involved in various organizations between paying jobs, listing these items is fine. Without lying, it’s always wise to close these gaps to the best of your abilities using whatever experience you have. This is just one great reason why it’s smarter to use the title “Experience” rather than “Employment Experience” or “Work Experience.” Another way to make gaps less noticeable is to only include your years of employment rather than specific months.

Saying “References are available upon request”:

People think they are covering their bases by adding this, but it’s just more unnecessary clutter. You don’t need to tell a prospective employer that you will allow them to see your references if they ask – that’s an expectation! This isn’t quite as bad as actually listing your references on your resume, but there’s no need to do it.

Remember, your resume is the first thing a prospective employer will see and in order to sell yourself, it should be presented in as concise a manner as possible. This means sticking to a single page in most situations (unless you have more than ten years of experience) and not wasting their time with information they won’t care about. Spend your time tailoring your resume to make sure it shows them that you will meet the position’s specific requirements.

Final Words

Avoiding common resume mistakes can significantly enhance your chances of landing an interview. By focusing on clarity, relevance, and professionalism, you can create a resume that effectively highlights your qualifications and makes a strong impression on potential employers. Remember, your resume is often your first opportunity to showcase your skills and experiences, so make it count by presenting the best version of yourself.

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Additional Resources

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