Avoid Resume Mistakes That Eliminate You
	Five Ways Faking Resume Information Will Hurt You
	Resume Mistakes
	Resume Writing Myths
	Simple Resume Errors That Will Cost You Dearly
	The Five Most Common Resume Errors
	Why Continuous Editing Can Destroy Your Resume
	Why Long Resumes Don't Work
	Why Resume Lies Always Get Found Out
	Why resumes don't get read
	Words That Weaken Your Resume

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Avoid Resume Mistakes That Eliminate You

You have a lead on what sounds like a terrific job and are anxious to submit your resume. Your submission is ready, you send it in, and you get no response. When you follow up with the potential employer, you are told that you were not selected for an interview.

How is this possible? The job looked like a perfect fit, you have all of the right qualifications, yet you did not make it past the initial screening and into the interview process. Something went wrong but you have no idea what it might be.

Let's take a look at some common mistakes that may have contributed to your resume being screened out of consideration.

Spelling and/or grammar errors

By far the most common mistakes that will cause your resume to be eliminated are spelling and grammatical errors. Most employers will automatically screen out a resume with mistakes like this because it shows a lack of attention to detail and carelessness.

There is really no excuse for sending out a resume with these kinds of mistakes in it. Use spell check, use grammar check, and then use your own eyes to proofread. Print out your resume and read it backwards, one word at a time, to spot spelling errors. Ask a trusted friend or peer to read it, or hire a professional proofreader to check it. Do whatever it takes to ensure your resume is mistake-free before it goes out to any potential employer.

Key information is hard to find

Another reason why resumes are screened out is that the reader is not able to quickly and easily find the key information they need. It is not unusual for them to literally have a hundred or more resumes in the pile for a single job opening, so if you do not make it easy for a screener to spot your qualifications then you will be screened out.

Tailor your resume for the job posting, paying close attention to the requirements and qualifications for the position. Emphasize the qualities you possess that match their needs, making it easy for the screener to see them at a glance. Move this information to the beginning of the resume, use bold or italic type, use bullet points - decide what type of emphasis will work best and use it judiciously to enhance your prospects.

Too long or unfocused

It is very easy to write a long, drawn out resume. After all, you have a lot of accomplishments to communicate and you want to make sure a potential employer knows all there is to know about you. Right? Wrong!

Remember that your resume is supposed to focused and concise, communicating essential information about you and enticing the potential employer to bring you in for an interview. Moreover, the interview is your opportunity to expand on key points and further sell yourself and your qualifications.

A resume that is too long or not focused on communicating key points is likely to be screened out very early in the process. A resume screener does not have the time or the inclination to wade through long documents; instead, he or she wants to see key points that are concise, to the point, and focused on the qualifications and requirements needed for the job.

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Five Ways Faking Resume Information Will Hurt You

1. It looks suspicious

Most human resources professionals are quite skilled at spotting fake information, embellishments, or exaggerations on a resume. Such information may look suspicious because it does not match with other experience as listed on the resume, seems too grandiose, or just does not make sense in context with your work history or other jobs held.

2. You will be screened out

When you include fake information in your resume and the human resources person discovers it, your resume will automatically be screened out. Period. Potential employers have no tolerance for lies, exaggerations, or other "made up" information on a resume.

3. It will become apparent in an interview

If by some chance you make it through the screening process and into an interview, it is most likely that any fake information will become apparent during the interview. Interviewers will question closely your accomplishments and claims about skills and attributes, and if your answers do not substantiate what is on the resume they will mark you down when they evaluate your qualifications. In most cases, then, you will not get the job.

4. It will be discovered during reference and background checks

Information that is fake or exaggerated will often become known when a potential employer conducts reference checks and background checks. For example, if you claim to have been an outstanding employee but your former employer is lukewarm when giving you a reference, that raises a red flag in the mind of a potential employer.

Alternatively, if you are asked about any criminal history or traffic violations and you deny having them, when they turn up in a background check the potential employer will know the truth. They will then start to question the truth of your other statements and likely will not want to hire you.

5. It comes to light when you go to work

If, somehow, you manage to make it past the screening, interview, and reference check phases you may indeed be offered a job despite the fake information in your resume. Do not be too quick to congratulate yourself, though, because the truth about fake or exaggerated information will become apparent once you are actually on the job.

It may take a few weeks or a few months, but if you claim to have skills or attributes that are required for the job you will be expected to demonstrate them. When you have trouble doing so, or your performance does not measure up to the levels you claimed during the interview process, you may be subject to termination, demotion, or find your career at a standstill.

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Professional Resume Services - Resume Mistakes

Professional Resume Services - In an increasingly politically correct world we have changed our perspective and our requirements in the information we need to see contained within a resume.

The following details the information that is neither relevant nor beneficial as you create your resume.

* Age / Sex / Marital Status
These have no impact on your ability to perform your job and have no place within your resume.

* Political or religious affiliations
In an increasingly diverse world this is a risky subject to raise within your resume. They are not relevant to how you perform your job and may differ from your prospective employers views, putting an unnecessary obstacle in your way from the very outset.

* Hobbies / Leisure Activities
Unless these have a strict bearing on the job you are currently applying for or if they positively strengthen your resume this is superfluous information.
It adds waffle and can raise questions about your personality if you happen to be involved in a 'quirky' interest. Rule of thumb, leave it out.

* Voluntary Work
As with the above unless there is a direct and positive link with the job you are applying for leave this out of your resume. Some employers may applaud your commitment to public service but others may see it as a potential distraction.

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* Employer Information
It is not necessary to include the name of your direct Supervisor or Manager, their telephone number or address. Should this information be required it will be asked of you at interview.

* References
There is no requirement to include this information on your resume. This will be requested of you as your application progresses to the final stages.

* Jargon
Be conscious of your use of jargon, everyday language to you perhaps but meaningless to the person reading the resume generally. It demonstrates poor judgement to leave it in and will ensure your resume is placed in the bin.

* Financial Remuneration
Do not include details of your payment expectations. This information will do two things, undersell you or overprice you. Either way it is a faux pas to include it in your resume.

Professional Resume Services by AccuroResumes.com

* Lies
Deceit will always catch up with you. If there are areas that you prefer not to disclose, omit them entirely or be sparing with the truth, just don't lie.
Once the untruth is discovered, your chances of securing employment are at an end.

* Ambitions
This is a difficult area to cover so we recommend leaving this information off the resume altogether. If asked at interview you may choose to go into your ultimate ambitions and goals but committing it to paper is a different matter as it is then open to interpretation and can generate the wrong message.

Professional Resume Services by AccuroResumes.com

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Resume Writing Myths

The world is full of resume writing professionals, job hunting experts, career counselors, human resources specialists, recruiters, head hunters, and the like. And if you ask them to describe the right and wrong things to do with your resume you will likely come across a variety of answers. Many of those answers, though, will be common resume myths that can mislead you into making a mistake when creating this important document.

Myth #1 - You do not need help writing your resume

If you do not have a lot of experience with resume writing, then you should not presume you could write an effective resume completely on your own. It is far too easy for an inexperienced or infrequent resume writer to create content that is ineffective at communicating key information to a potential employer. There is nothing wrong with creating a first draft on your own, but you should always consult a professional resume writer, an online resume `how to" site, or any one of a wide range of resume writing books and other printed resources.

Myth #2 - Your resume must show steadily increasing responsibility

It is far more important for your resume to show the skills and attributes that match the needs of a potential employer. Regardless of how your levels of responsibility have changed from job to job, the emphasis should be placed on how your various experiences qualify you to hold the position you pursue. Tailor your resume to highlight key information that tells a potential employer you are a qualified candidate who should receive an interview.

Myth #3 - Use narrow margins and small type to get more information on the page

This is one of the worst mistakes you can make on a resume. More is not better when it comes to your resume, especially if you have to resort to formatting tricks such as this that make the document hard to read.

Myth #4 - If you send out enough resumes you will get interviews

No matter how many resumes you send out, if the resume itself is weak it will not lead to interviews. Quantity does not guarantee quality, so if you have been unsuccessful generating interviews with your current resume perhaps it is time to revise and improve it.

Myth #5 - Potential employers spend a lot of time reviewing resumes

This is simply not the case. Employers receive huge quantities of resumes and cannot afford the time to examine each one in depth. Instead, the resume screener will scan each document looking key words and phrases that pertain to the job they are trying to fill. Your resume should make these key words and phrases easy to spot. Put them toward the beginning of the document, and consider emphasizing them with bold type, italic type, or selective use of bullet points.

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Simple Resume Errors That Will Cost You Dearly

With all of the thought and effort you put into creating an outstanding resume, the last thing you want is for the final document to contain errors that will cause a potential employer to put it in the discard pile. You may think you have done everything possible to make your resume the best it can be, but it is not ready for use until you have double-checked to make sure it does not contain any of the following common, simple errors.

Spelling - While a good spell check program will catch the most glaring errors, it will not catch things like `wear' instead of `where', `and' instead of `an', etc. Always check the spelling yourself, and have one or two other trusted people check it as well. A great trick for proofreading is to read the material backwards, one word at a time.

Grammar - Most spell check programs also include some sort of grammar checker, so use it. You may think you are a whiz at grammar, but a grammar program will catch things like passive language, split infinitives, clichés and colloquialisms, and other common mistakes. No software program is perfect, though, so have one or two other people with good grammar skills check your resume as well.

Font Style And Size - You may think that Britannic Bold or Calligraphy Script is striking and eye catching, but most potential employers will not. Think in terms of a human resources specialist screening a pile of 50 or 60 resumes for a single job - would you want to wade through a resume that is hard to read? Instead, select a font style like Times New Roman, Arial or Tahoma that is easy to read, and make sure you use at least 11 or 12-point type.

Paper - Once again, simple is better. Opt for a nice white linen paper instead of a fancy color or texture. Use the same paper for your cover letter, and if available use a matching envelope. Some employers like to keep the envelope, letter and resume clipped together, so if they match it looks more professional.

Printing - Use the best quality printer you can find to print your resume and cover letter, even if you have to go to a commercial copy center and use one of their printers. Always use a computer and printer for the outside envelope as well - a sharp looking resume and cover letter will look strange emerging from an envelope with a handwritten address on it.

Pictures - A trendy thing to do in recent years has been to include your picture on your resume. Unless the job posting specifically requires you to include a picture, leave it off. Most employers will be put off by a resume that is too `cutesy', and including your picture definitely falls into that category.

Salary - Never include information in a resume about your past, present, or expected salary. If such information is specifically requested then it should go in the cover letter in the form of a salary range, not a specific number.

References - A resume should not include contact information for your references. This tends to distract from the focus on your skills and attributes, and it takes up space on the page that can be put to better use. If a potential employer specifically asks for references to be included as part of your resume package, it is usually better to put them on a separate page and note that page on the cover letter as an enclosure.

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The Five Most Common Resume Errors

An error in your resume can be the difference between you being considered for the position and actually getting the job.

When the competition is tight, even the slightest, most insignificant error can be the deciding factor on who will be hired and who will not. When managers need to select only one new employee from a pile of hundreds of resumes, they can get quite finicky about any type of error.

While there are literally dozens upon dozens of errors people make when writing and presenting resumes, there are a few that top the list of the most common resume errors. Let's call these the top five most common, most fatal (to your success, not to your life) resume errors.

They are:

• Including irrelevant information
• Sloppy presentation
• Vague or boring content
• Lack of focus
• Large chunks of text

1. Including Irrelevant Information

When you write your resume you need to remember that hiring managers are extremely busy people. Which is the main reason why they need more staff. After all, they wouldn't be looking for more people to help them if they already had too much free time.

Keeping in mind that hiring managers are busy people, you should be careful what you include in your resume. Only include what's directly relevant to the job you're applying for. It's highly unlikely that your prospective employer is really going to care about the spelling bee award you won in grade eight, or that you were the best grade eleven cheerleader.

By sticking to information relevant to the job you would like, you show the hiring manager that you are an excellent communicator.

2. Sloppy Presentation

First impressions count. You wouldn't go to an in-person interview with uncombed hair and torn jeans. So make sure your resume is grammatically correct, clean and crease-free.

Don't get careless. A resume that is poorly presented gives the hiring manager the impression that you're lazy (or perhaps a little stupid), careless and not serious about the position you're applying for.

Sometimes it helps to read your resume out loud. It's easier to find mistakes this way. Or you can corner your friends and get them to give you some brutally honest feedback.

3. Vague or Boring Content

Be specific when you write your resume. Use action verbs (like organized) to prove to the hiring manager that you're a go-getter. Avoid straightforward and boring descriptions of every job you've ever held. Explain why you were good at your jobs instead, but only focus on those relevant to the type of position you're going after. Make your resume vibrant.

4. Lack of Focus

Tailor your resume to the job you would like. Focus on results and accomplishments instead of simply listing your responsibilities. How did you make a difference in your company or department?

5. Large Chunks of Text

The average resume is read in a speedy seven seconds. Huge chunks of text are intimidating to a hiring manager who needs to look at hundreds of resumes, and probably isn't too excited about doing so. Keep your paragraphs short and reader friendly.

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Why Continuous Editing Can Destroy Your Resume

You want your resume to look as good as it possibly can. You want it to shine. You want it to impress. You want it to WOW.

You've done your brainstorming. You've got what you want down on paper, in the general format that you want. Now what?

The next step is the editing process. This is where you take all your information and really polish it until it gleams. However, it's possible to polish it so much that you completely get rid of the shine and scrub right through the varnish to the dull base. In other words, it's possible to edit your resume too much.

Excessive editing can turn your top-notch, knockout resume into something boring and drab. Continuous editing can destroy your resume.

When you edit too much, you rework the content so much that it loses its original focus. It loses its original edge. Plus you'll get a headache.

There are some tips you can keep in mind so that you don't fall prey to continuous editing. Try editing your resume first thing in the morning, after you've gotten some sleep and are well rested. Don't edit under fluorescent light if you can help it. It's actually hard to spot small errors under fluorescent light.

Limit yourself to three edits. And try reading and thinking about something else between edits.

When you edit your resume, first go through the body text. Then go back and edit your headers. And be careful that your eyes don't skip from one error to the next, and miss those subtle little errors in between. Also watch that the little words like "or", "it", "is" and "of" are correctly used.

Get one trusted, knowledgeable friend, colleague or professional to go over your resume. Then take a deep breath. You've done all you can. Now all you have to do is send it in.

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Why Long Resumes Don't Work

There is a good reason why long resumes do not work when you are looking for a job. To understand why, just look at it from the point of view of the person who is responsible for viewing and screening all of the resumes submitted for a posting.

In most cases, this task falls to someone in human resources. The HR specialist may receive one hundred or more resumes for an open position, and in larger companies, he or she is probably working on three or four open positions at a time. That translates to literally hundreds of resumes that must be screened, evaluated, and separated within a short time so that interviews can be scheduled and the hiring process can proceed.

Are you beginning to understand why a long resume does not work? The reader does not have time to read through a large number of long resumes, so you need to keep it short, clear, and concise.

Short is not enough

While a short resume is definitely better than a long resume, it takes a bit more to get yours noticed when it is one among many being considered. You must make the key points stand out so that the reader's eye is naturally drawn to them, and those points should be targeted to the specific skills and attributes the reader wants to see.

There are several ways you can make your resume eye-catching and effective:

Order of information - The order in which you present information in your resume is significant. The most important things related to the specific job posting should come first; the less important things should come later.

Layout - The layout of your resume should be clean and easy to read. Use wide margins and plenty of white space, a standard font sized to at least 10 or 12 points, and succinct headings.

Emphasis - Emphasize the key points you want the reader to notice. This is most effectively done with bold and/or italic type or with bullet points. Less is more when it comes to emphasis; if everything is in bold type then nothing stands out, so be selective and only use this tactic sparingly.

Big mistakes to avoid

Some job seekers make the mistake of keeping their resume to two pages by cramming as much information onto those two pages as possible. They end up with small type size, small margins, and just plain too many words. If you find yourself with a resume that looks like this, then you need to do some serious editing.

Other mistakes to avoid include:

Spelling errors

Grammatical errors

Bright or unusual colors of paper

Fancy, difficult to read fonts

Big, complicated words

Passive language

Binding or other types of special covers

In the end, the most productive resume will be concise and readable, with key information noted in a manner that makes it easy for the reader to notice.

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Why Resume Lies Always Get Found Out

While it's true that a resume should present you and your skills in the best light possible, you should never lie on your resume.

Resume lying, or resume padding as it's sometimes referred as, is much more popular than it should be. It's also much more common than people think. While no statistics have ever been recorded on how many people lie on their resumes (and really, would they admit it?), but some experts like placement firms guess that number is between 10 and 30 percent of all resume writers. Moreover, as far as resume cheating college students, some statistics cite as many as 90 percent admit they have or would cheat to get a job.

With statistics that high, it's no wonder that hiring personnel are on the alert to resume fraud!

While there are all types of lies people put on their resumes, there are a few that seem to be more popular choices than any others. The most popular resume lie is enhancing job title and embellishing job duties and achievements to make it sound like the job seeker is more skilled and responsible than he or she really is. Lying about the level of education received is also common. This type of lie is probably most common in those who are only a few credits short of a degree, and never bothered to finish up those few credits.

Some job seekers even go so far as to invent employers. Others stretch the dates of employment to cover employment gaps. Still others lie about the reason they quit their last job. Let's say someone was let go for reasons based on poor work performance. Sometimes these job seekers will lie on their resumes and claim they were let go because of company cutbacks.

However, every time someone lies on a resume, those lies are usually discovered. Especially if the lies are about something significant.

While you may think that no one will discover a resume lie, is it really worth the risk to your integrity and reputation to pad your resume? Are you willing to suffer embarrassment and humiliation when your lies are discovered?

With the increase in resume fraud, a lot of companies are wising up to resume cheaters. That's why many companies are checking up on applicants before the actual interview process.

Companies can easily find out if you're telling the truth about your employment history by completing an employment background check. Some conduct full background checks including a credit history check. As far as verifying education level? That's easy enough to do by contacting the educational institution to discover current or past student status.

Resumes are not legal documents. If you lie on one you're not going to be put into jail. The worst that can happen is that you won't get the job, and your name and reputation will be tarnished within the industry.

However, keep in mind; if you lie on your resume, you'll also need to lie on the official job application form. And job application forms are legal documents with legal repercussions for lying.

Resume lying is always discovered. Maybe not immediately. But if you get hired because of a resume lie, your lack of skills, experience and knowledge will eventually show.

Save yourself the stress. Be ethical. Be honest. Make yourself look good on your resume, but never lie.

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Writing Resumes - Why resumes don't get read.

Writing Resumes - For recruiters and employers involved in a recruiting drive the influx of resumes that hit their desks is almost impossible to believe.

Writing Resumes - Tips from AccuroResumes.com

How then do you ensure that your resume is given the attention it deserves? By learning exactly why resumes don't get read and avoiding these common errors is the simple answer.

These are many of the most common criticisms levelled when writing resumes:

* Too long
* Too much solid text
* Poor layout - ineffective use of white space
* Poor quality
* Too much waffle / hype
* Boring
* Too many different typefaces
* Inadequate information supplied
* Unexplained gaps

Writing Resumes - Tips from AccuroResumes.com

We could continue but I think you may get the picture. Without a doubt the first one is the most common. From our critiquing and writing resumes services, we have had a lot of experience with this particular issue. It is not uncommon to receive a resume that is 7 pages in length, and worse each page is merely repetitious of the previous one.

Writing Resumes - Tips from AccuroResumes.com

Remember the fundamentals of writing resumes are to create an immediate impact and impart concise but valuable information that promotes you as a serious candidate.

Before you even put your thoughts on paper, take all the above into account so that you may learn the what not to do's early in the process of writing resumes.

Writing Resumes - Tips from AccuroResumes.com

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Words That Weaken Your Resume

Most resume resources will go into great detail about words and phrases that make your resume stronger, but many of them do not give examples of the words and phrases that have the opposite effect. How can you avoid words that weaken your resume if you are unsure what they are?

Let's take look at some of the most common statements that job seekers put into their resumes that weaken their content rather than strengthen it.

Buzzwords and trendy language

The business world inevitably goes through trends in language and phrases, just as any other community of people with similar interests does. It is a big mistake, though, to include this type of language in your resume because it is often annoying to a potential employer and demonstrates a lack of communication skills on your part.

Examples of buzzwords and trendy statements include:

Impact

Interface

Synergy

Synchronize

Visionary

Innovative

Scalability

Buy-in

Drill down

Avoid these types of words and opt instead for more standard words that add strength to your resume.

Meaningless and vague words

There are any number of words that are vague and nearly meaningless when used in your resume. They may be unclear, too broad, or simply fluff that does not add to the clarity and strength of your resume.

Here are some examples of words and phrases that fall into this category:

Assisted with...

Contributed to.

Successfully.

Effectively.

Productively.

Profitably.

Most potential employers will read words and phrases such as this and find they raise more questions about your qualifications than they answer. Their confusion and uncertainty will often prompt them to screen out your resume in favor of others that are written with more strength and clarity.

Other words to avoid

Your resume should not include several other types of words that reflect poorly on you. Examples include:

Negative words - hate, boring, harassed, fired, demanding, picky, discriminated against, unfair, unwilling, etc.

Words you cannot define - it is tempting to include fancy complex words that sound big and important, but if you do not know what they mean then you risk using them incorrectly which can in turn lead to your resume being screened out

Some types of words are sometimes necessary to include in your resume, but their use should kept to a minimum. Examples include:

Abbreviations or acronyms - even if you work in a field or industry that uses a lot of abbreviations or acronyms, avoid them as much as possible in your resume because they make it less readable

Overused words - these are words like very, especially, unique, uniquely, really, also, as well as, etc.

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