If you’re in search of a new job, you need to be sure that your resume is the best that it can possibly be. And the only way to do that is to know what could be wrong with it. In this way, you can analyze your resume with an objective eye, recognize its flaws, and fix them before sending it off with your cover letter and job application for employment.
In addition to using a professional resume service that knows exactly what it takes to create a winning resume, check out the information below to learn how to figure out what’s wrong with your resume, and how you can go about fixing it.
You Aren’t Providing Clear Data
While it’s really easy to state that you were able to effectively manage daily affairs in your office, work as a project manager, or implement a new process, what an employer is really looking for is quantified data. You need to prove your expertise and your experience with data that can back up your claims. It’s critical that you list your work experience accurately.
To fix your resume for accuracy, begin by thinking about the many projects that you have worked on for an employer over the years. Think about the effect that your efforts had upon the organization on a whole. For example, did your efforts lower certain costs, or were you able to negotiate better contracts with vendors? Whatever the answer may be, use numbers to discuss how much money was saved, how profits increased, etc. This hard data is what employers really want to see.
You’re Listing Irrelevant Experience
When you are writing up your resume, avoid including every single job you’ve ever had. Instead, make sure that the information in your resume will be relevant to the job for which you’re applying. There’s no need to list out all of the part-time work you had while you were in school. Instead, focus on the jobs and positions that prove you’ve worked in the appropriate industry and with the right types of teams to make you an effective worker for the position that you want today.
You’re Only Listing Employment Years, Without Months
When listing out your previous experience, make sure that you include the month and the year that you started and the month and year that you stopped working there. If a recruiter or hiring manager looks at your resume and only sees years, they may assume that something is not right and that you’re trying to hide something. In particular, they’re going to think that you may have had a long gap in your employment that you do not want to admit to. This will make them think that you’re dishonest right off the bat, and they won’t want to call you in for an interview.
If you do have any large gaps in your employment, be honest about the reasons for those gaps. Even if there is a gap of several years because you wanted to be a stay-at-home mom for a few years until your kids were ready for school, just say so. Employers will probably respect you, not only for your honesty, but also for taking the time to raise your family.
You Still Have an Objective Statement
While objective statements used to be a staple of resumes, you do not need to include these statements anymore. Many people still make the mistake of having an objective, but this can do more harm than good.
Employers want you to show them the data and facts that will prove your expertise to them. They do not want to see an objective statement during which you basically tell them what you want from a position. If you must have a statement at the top of your resume, use it as an opportunity to briefly summarize your abilities and skills that can serve as assets to an employer.
There Are Spelling and Grammatical Errors
Finally, there is nothing worse than a resume that has spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. If you are not confident in your abilities as a writer, have a professional look over your resume to make sure it is not filled with embarrassing errors.
Look over your resume and take note of any of the mistakes above. If you find them, make sure that you remove these errors so that employers will not want to just throw your resume away as soon as they see it. This will increase your odds of being called in for more interviews and ultimately employment.
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