9 Reasons Your Resume Is Trash
May 26th, 2007 by Andrew
How many jobs have you applied for and not even received an interview? Maybe your resume goes straight in the trash. But how would you know? Here are a few good indicators that your resume is garbage. Now’s the time to clean it up.
1. Crummy paper. You don’t need incredibly fancy resume paper. But don’t print your resume on regular copy paper either. Go to your local office supply store and buy a box of resume paper. This will set you back $10-12, but it’s critical. And make sure the paper stays crisp; no wrinkles or creases allowed (except for mailing, of course).
2. Poor font choice. Stellar credentials don’t mean squat if your font is unreadable. And most business owners don’t want to see Wing-Dings on a resume. Pick a neutral font like Times New Roman or Arial. Make most of the text 10-12 point. Use some variations like bold and italics, but don’t go overboard. Simple is good.
3. No whitespace. Two kinds of whitespace are important on a resume: margins and lines. Decent margins (at least .75″) frame your resume and focus the eye on the content. Blank lines between sections help give the eye a break and prepare the reader for the next blurb. People just won’t read a page chocked full of text.
4. Too long. Don’t overload the reader with information. If you have a post-graduate degree, do you really need to put your high school activities on your resume? You shouldn’t even list every college activity. Focus on the highlights, the really good talking points, and the things you’re most proud of. If you list everything on the resume, what’s left to talk about in the interview?
5. Typos. Does this one even require an explanation? Spell check, check again, and triple check. Get a friend to read it. Get two friends to read it. See if your school’s career counselor will proofread and critique it. There’s no excuse for a typo on a resume.
6. Too good to be true. Everyone frames their resume in a positive light. A little embellishment is normal. But don’t go overboard. If you can’t back up what’s on the page and discuss it in person, don’t write it.
7. It’s incomplete. The traditional rule is that you shouldn’t have gaps in your resume. This is becoming a bit outdated, but you still don’t want gaping holes. If you didn’t work or go to school for more than a few months, you should include what you did do. Did you have a volunteer position? Did you travel? This might just go under “Other Activities” or something, but don’t leave out important things like this.
8. No focus. If your resume has nothing to do with the job for which you’re applying, it’s pretty useless to the employer. If you are interested in multiple fields, why not compose more than one resume? You can highlight different parts of your education and experience, so each employer sees crucial tidbits that fit with their opening. Just don’t get your versions mixed up.
9. Passive and boring. Would you rather read a book that is action-packed and exciting, or would you like one that is boring? Resumes are no different. Explain your accomplishments and experience using action verbs. Instead of saying “was the manager,” say “managed employee team.” It’s a subtle difference, but it’s important.
Hopefully your resume passed all these tests with flying colors. If not, you better revise it!
First impressions are the most important. Humans are impressed the most by what we see first. So make your first impression count. Create a powerful resume that doesn’t end up in the trash.
