According to Indeed, January and February are the best times of the year to land a job. With renewed budgets, many organizations are in hiring mode.
If you are like many who will take advantage of this time to land a new role, make sure your resume meets today’s standards!
After reviewing hundreds of resumes, here are the top 4 mistakes I often see. I want to share them with you so that you can avoid them at all costs:
- Using personal pronouns such as “I” or “me”
- Trying to squeeze everything into one page
- Too many adjectives and adverbs
- Having a generic resume is a big no-no
1. Using personal pronouns such as “I” or “me”
Your resume should be written in the first person, but the “I” is understood—no need to include it. All your bullet statements should start with an action verb.
For example:
Instead of saying:
❌ I secured 4 new clients generating $2M+ in revenue, coordinating major requests for proposal responses.
You would say:
✔️ Secured 4 new clients generating $2M+ in revenue, coordinating major requests for proposal responses.
Each bullet statement should start with an action verb.
Pro tip: It’s best not to repeat the same action verb for each bullet. Visit our recent blog post ‘120 Action Verbs to Strengthen Your Resume’ to get a list of powerful action verbs to take your resume to the next level.
2. Trying to squeeze everything into one page
It’s incredible the formatting tricks I’ve seen people make because they think their resume must be 1-page. This is a big misconception!
As a recent graduate who doesn’t have much professional experience, a 1-page resume makes sense.
However, for professionals with several years of experience, it’s okay to add a second page. This will help you in 2 ways:
👉🏾Adding white space improves readability
👉🏾Avoiding formatting tricks that may not read well on the Applicant Tracking System
Always remember to focus on providing relevant information to the job, employer, and industry you are targeting. Here is a Free Resume Review Guide that can help you ensure your resume is up-to-date.
3. Too many adjectives and adverbs
Effectively, efficiently, reliably, and successfully completed the project. Okay 😏
Try to minimize adjectives and adverbs that take space and don’t add value to what you are saying.
The goal when writing your resume is to be as concise as possible—no need to add ‘fluff’ words.
4. Having a generic resume is a big no-no
Lastly, tailor your resume to align with each job opportunity you apply to. Remember, your resume is a marketing document.
Identifying your employment target will help you effectively market yourself in line with the employer’s needs. In addition, it’s important to tailor your resume to the industry, employer and specific role.
Conclusion
Avoid these biggest resume writing mistakes to improve your resume and increase your likelihood of getting noticed and selected for your next opportunity.
The Resume ReWork is a self-paced course where I teach you how to craft an interview-winning resume that makes a lasting first impression.
The course includes:
- Signature trainings with a Certified Career and Resume Strategist
- The Job Search Accelerated E-Book
- 2 Resume Samples (used by past clients to get hired!)
- ATS-Compatible Resume and Cover Letter Template
- Personal Branding + Storytelling Worksheets
- LinkedIn Checklist & E-Book
