How Your Resume Can Kill Your Chance of Getting a Job

Sometimes I think jobs seekers do not even consider how their resume is viewed by a potential employer.  I see thousands of resumes - some of them simply leave me in a state of shock.  Here is just a sample of things I see every day:

• Resumes written like a chat room entry - Job seekers actually submit resumes with their name in lowercase letters, "u" instead of "you", spelling shortcuts, and slang.  The only possible place such a resume would be appropriate would be if the person were applying for a job as a chat-room moderator.  So far, none of the "chat-slang" resumes we have seen are seeking that kind of job.

• Resumes that do not mention either education or experience - These submissions could not really be called resumes, since they give the employer no reason to consider the person or the information.  These resumes typically simply discuss the type of job the person wants.  Do these job seekers even think about the fact that they have given the employer no reason at all to hire them?
• Resumes that demonstrate no skills applicable to the job the person wants - If you want a job as a bookkeeper and your resume lists nothing except your background as a race car driver, you probably will not get the bookkeeping job.  The point of your resume is to sell yourself to the employer as someone who can handle the job the employer is offering.  If you do not accomplish that basic goal, your chance of success will be slim to none.
• Resumes full of errors in grammar and spelling - Your resume must be flawless.  If you need help, GET HELP!  I highly recommend professional resume writers, since their relatively small fee will generally pay for itself quickly.  It's one of the best investments you can make in your career.  Even if you decide to write your own resume, find a friend to edit it before you send it to an employer.

If you do not prepare your resume with care, it can be your "worst foot forward."

Comments

[Claude Gelinas]

I've seen something rather funny, recently.

An applicant in my job board insisted that we only use an alias to market him to employers. We did exactly that, using the standard "alias" option, in the signup form.

The funny thing was that in his resume (that was obviously "copy-pasted" from his word processor), there was -everything- an employer needed to fully identify him, such as:

- Full name, address, phone and E-mail information

- Academic curriculum with all the details and names of the schools

- Professional experiences, including the names of references employers may call

...and so on, with even more details like the trade groups he was part of and the prizes he won over the years!

We quickly identified the "problem", notified this individual and helped him "anonymize" his resume. He was obviously very thankful for our fast thinking.

He explained he must've been distracted when he gave out so much information while wanting to basically stay anonymous, in our job site.

The moral? If you're looking to stay anonymous in your resume and appear coherent when the employer reviews your profile, be sure to thoroughly review your resume submission!

This being said, best of luck to all job seekers — it's a privilege to assist you in finding quality jobs ; )