To get a job interview, it’s important to understand the key elements that make a resume appealing to potential employers. It’s important to be aware of details that can diminish the strength, clarity, and credibility of a professional resume. Let me make two assumptions before I get into my pet peeves.
A resume is designed to help the prospect get an interview with potential employers.
HR personnel must review many resumes and make decisions about which ones to discard.
This last point is why I think you should not include or review the following information in your job search materials. Based on my experience, and ranked according to my criteria, from most important to least:
5. Descriptions of standard skills/ expected by the market.
You don’t need to know all the languages and software packages unless the job you are applying for requires them. If you mention Microsoft Office or Outlook as something unique, it should be taken seriously. It’s expected for many jobs as a standard. You shouldn’t include words you don’t know (e.g. “Two Classes of Mandarin”) or provide too much information (e.g. where I studied, what tests I took, etc.). ).
4. Information that isn’t relevant to the job.
This is quite common: resumes often list every course and certification that the candidate has earned throughout his life, from the Quality Seminar through the Football Clinic. You may also see interests that are not related to the job or the interview process. The space in your job search materials is limited. If you fill it with information that won’t get you to the interview, it will be wasted. Or it can become a funny story for the HR team. These topics might also come up in the interview. In this instance, you can give more context and impact.
3. Descriptions of job responsibilities (vs. accomplishments) or achievements from a long time ago.
Employers won’t notice your recent skills if they aren’t highlighted. This could even lead to suspicion (e.g., employment gap). ).
2. Activities or achievements of a group (not the person who wrote the resume).
The recruiter wants to get to know you as a potential candidate. The recruiter won’t get to know you if the experiences described in the experience section don’t provide enough detail or are too broad.
1. General objective/target or not relevant to the position.
Given the frequency with which this phrase is used, “Continue development within a global organization in constant growth” could be the default text in word processors. A resume’s Objective/Summary section is an essential part. This is especially true for experienced professionals. The text should be relevant to the job and the candidate. It is important to adapt your resume or CV for different industries, companies, positions, and industries. This section should be the most flexible.
It is essential that the candidate stands out in a job search. This should be done for the right reasons, namely for their skills and experiences. These are just a few of the reasons why a resume should be considered. However, it shouldn’t be used to communicate irrelevant or unprofessional topics. It will help you get closer to an interview by focusing the reader’s attention on your accomplishments and skills that are valuable to the company to which you are applying.
