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TEN RESUME "DON'TS"
by Peter Newfield
Resumes are a necessity for almost every job on the planet -- accountant,
teacher, CEO, restaurant manager or municipal employee. But unless
you carefully and objectively examine your resume before sending it
out, recycling bins across America may be filling up with those ill-planned
documents. Before mailing your next resume, check the ten resume "don'ts"
below:
• Appearances Count -- Don't try to save money by printing your
resume on cheap copy paper instead of good quality stock. Check for
typos, grammatical errors and coffee stains. Use the spell-check feature
on your word processor and ask a friend to review the resume to find
mistakes you might have missed.
• Does Size Matter? -- If your career warrants a two-page resume,
then go ahead and create a document that reflects the full range of
your experience and accomplishments. Don't reduce the type size to
such a degree that your resume becomes difficult to read.
• Truth or Consequences -- Don't fudge over dates or titles
on your resume to hide the fact that you have been unemployed, that
you switched jobs too frequently or that you held low-level positions.
If a prospective employer conducts a background check and discovers
that you lied, you can kiss the job good-bye.
• State Your Case -- If you are seeking a job in a field in
which you have no prior experience, don't use the chronological format
for your resume. By using a functional or skills-oriented format,
you can present your relevant experience and skills up front.
• Put Your Best Foot Forward -- Don't simply copy the job description
jargon from your company's HR manual. To show that you are more qualified
than the competition for the positions you are seeking, you need to
do more than simply list your job responsibilities. Present specific
accomplishments and achievements: percentages increased, accounts
expanded, awards won, etc.
• No Excuses -- Don't include the reasons you are no longer
working at each job listed on your resume. The phrases "Company
sold," "Boss was an idiot" and "Left to make more
money" have no place on your resume.
• What Have You Done Lately? -- While it is certainly acceptable
to have a two-page resume, don't list every single job you've ever
held. Personnel managers are most interested in your experience from
the last 10 years, so focus on your most recent and most relevant
career experience.
• Target Your Audience -- Don't mail out your resume to every
ad in the Sunday newspaper. If you are not even remotely qualified
for a position, don't apply. Read the ads, determine if you have the
right credentials and save the wear and tear on your printer.
• No Extra Papers, Please -- When you send out your resume,
don't include copies of transcripts, letters of recommendation or
awards, unless you are specifically asked to do so. If you are called
in for an interview, you may bring these extra materials along in
your briefcase for show-and-tell.
• Don't Get Personal -- Personal information does not belong
on a resume in the United States. Don't include information on your
marital status, age, race, family or hobbies.
