At TorontoJobs.ca, our Recruitment Division reviews 1000’s of resumes each year. Of those resumes, nearly 30% have major errors that can cost applicants the possibility of being called in for an interview.
After reviewing these “blunders”, the staff at TorontoJobs.ca has come up with a list of the most common resume mistakes we have viewed over the past year. What “NOT” to do includes:
1. Having an Unprofessional Email Address - Most companies aren’t seeking a sexykitten69@email.com.
2. Spelling Mistakes – Avoid having your resume meet the garbage can by making spell check your best friend.
3. Typos – Spell check won’t catch it, but there is a big difference between “worked many sh*ts" and "worked many shifts.” Make sure to proofread.
4. Listing Inappropriate Activities in the ‘Hobbies and Interests’ Section – Partying is not a hobby that equates to a hardworking individual.
5. Adding Inappropriate Personal Information – Pictures, Social Insurance Numbers, and marital status’, are neither something employers need or want to see on a resume.
6. Missing Contact Information – Employers aren’t going to hunt you down if you forget to put your contact information in your resume. Make sure to include both your phone number and email address.
7. Formatting Errors – Smiley faces as bullet points...enough said.
8. Using an Unusual Font – Cursive font may look fancy, but does not look professional. Resumes should be written in a commonly used font such as Arial or Times New Roman.
9. Overuse of a Thesaurus – While using a thesaurus may aid in expanding your vocabulary, ‘Supported the Manager’ and ‘Buttressed the Manager’ have two very different meanings. Be careful with your use of synonyms.
10. Using Industry or Company Jargon – While you may think it makes you look like an expert, Human Resource Professionals, Recruiters, and Hiring Managers may not know the jargon from your previous positions, so leave it out.
Resume slip-ups, such as the ones listed above, seriously hinder a job seeker’s chances of getting a job. To avoid such unfortunate mistakes, the rule of thumb is proofread, proofread, proofread, and when you’re done proofreading, get someone else to proofread. Sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes to catch what you didn’t.
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