Blog Category
Writing

7 Mistakes People Make When Writing Resumes

By
stephanne
May 11, 2023
5 min read
Share this post

Are you bewildered as to why your resume is not resulting in any interviews being offered? We are prepared to wager that it is not because you do not meet the requirements or are not enough in any way (for the record, you are good enough). It's likely because resume inaccuracies lead to at least one catastrophic blunder.

Job hunters, beware! One mistake is all it takes to halt your job hunt. Something entry-level employees should keep in mind while crafting their first résumé. Consider your CV to be flawless and bulletproof. 

Even the most skilled experts sometimes make errors on their resumes. With just six seconds to "wow" a recruiter, even the most adventurous job searchers should not take the chance of having any error on their resume. 

Considering that your resume is the first point of contact you have with a potential employer, you want their first impression about you to be a powerful and crystal-clear display of how great you are at what you do. This can be accomplished by including accomplishments demonstrating how great you are at your work. 

This is how you receive an interview, which, if you do well in, may lead to a job offer. Ensure that none of the seven mistakes listed below are included in your resume when you write it or update it every six months.

1. Submitting the Same Resume to Multiple Employers

People often submit the same version of their resume to many job positions that demand different abilities or expertise or are in different sectors owing to a lack of time or complexity.

Even though firms are in the same sector, their cultures and requirements may vary. Therefore, your job application must be tailored to each position for which you apply.

One of our first users was commended, and her resume was instantly identified since she utilized the same color scheme as the organization. To assist you in customizing your application for each job, we've made it simple to generate up to 18 unique copies of your resume or cover letter for each Data set.

2. Typographical and grammatical errors

Yes, we acknowledge that this is arguably the most apparent resume tip: it must be grammatically flawless. In most circumstances, a single spelling or grammatical error might prevent you from landing your desired job. To a potential employer or recruiter, the appearance of these mistakes in your application indicates a lack of effort and commitment. 

Take the time to double-check your application and have someone you trust read it since you may be biased. You may use AI writing tools like WordHero to help you detect errors you might have overlooked.

3. Using excessively long or short sentences

Because they have been told that resumes should not be more than one page, many people try to cram all of their previous work experience into just one sheet of paper. Job applicants can downplay their significant achievements by doing so. Some of the other applicants waste time talking about experiences that are either unimportant or unnecessary. 

Contrary to popular belief, the length of a resume is entirely subjective. Why? Because it will be reviewed by real people who bring a wide range of preferences and expectations to the table regarding resumes.

Of course, it doesn't mean you should begin sending out five-page resumes. Generally speaking, you should restrict your writing to no more than two pages. However, do not feel compelled to use two pages if one would enough.

 Contrariwise, do not exclude crucial information from your resume solely to adhere to an artificial one-page limit. Ask yourself when drafting your CV, "Will this statement help me obtain an interview?" Include just the material that prompts a "yes" in every sentence.

4. Provide Private Information

In the past, companies may have requested personal information such as your marital status, nationality, and religious views; however, it is now unlawful for employers to request such information and base employment choices on it.

Therefore, you should not waste precious space by presenting information that the employer may not utilize and instead emphasize how you are the ideal candidate for the listed position.

5. Social Media Profiles Irrelevant to the Particular Job

Before applying for a job, you should audit and review all your social media pages that come up in a Google search of your name. Then, remember only to include those that are related to the job you are going for; so, if you are applying for a Lawyer post, do not include your Pinterest or Instagram profiles. Instead, include your LinkedIn profile and your website or blog if you have one.

6. Bad Summary

Numerous candidates immediately lose their readers with their professional summaries. Employers check this section of your resume; however, they generally skim through nonspecific phrases such as "Experienced professional seeking career progression." These expressions are overused, excessively generic, and waste space.

Give employers something specific, and more crucially, something that focuses on their requirements in addition to yours. Example: "An experienced marketing manager who created award-winning campaigns for Fortune 500 customers led to a 50% rise in stock value.

7. Being Too Ambiguous

Rather than stating that it took you "a few" or "many" months to complete a project, specify the specific time frame you spent working on when discussing your accomplishments. "In four months, the new infrastructure was successfully installed." If you say you surpassed sales goals or the customer's expectations, be careful to specify how and by how much you did so. By being too vague, your material may seem to be fabricated and is thus unreliable.

It may be time for a revision if you have been sending out many applications but have not obtained any answers. In addition to the seven errors outlined above, graduates often make other resume mistakes that, although they may not seem to be a serious problem at the time, may considerably hinder the percentage rate of you getting a job. Take note of these 7 mistakes, and make it a point to steer clear of making them in any subsequent submissions of your resume.

Subscribe to newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest blog posts to your inbox every week.

By subscribing you agree to with our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.