Resume mistakes are easy to make—but they’re also easy to fix. Here are five common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Senior level and experienced job seekers have different challenges to somebody who has just graduated from high school or university. They need to find a way to be concise and highlight their achievements throughout their career, but do this without appearing outdated, as well as including important details without overwhelming the reader.
It can be done, with strategy and smart editing.
Mistake #1: Listing every position since you left school
We can become very emotionally attached to all the great things we have achieved over the years, and it is very tempting to include every single one. Employers care about your most recent years of experience so keep your resume to the last 10-15 years.
Mistake #2: Glossing over details to avoid showing your age
When professionals summarise their experience, they often downplay specific achievements in favour of generalities. The main thought behind this is that they just want to give a high-level view of what they’ve done. This could be due to a lack of confidence or a fear that their expertise will give their age away.
Don’t leave out important and relevant achievements. Be specific and support your claims with measurable outcomes whenever you can. You could use something like “achievement x, y, z, which resulted in a, b, c.” Achievements will showcase your maturity and wisdom without necessarily revealing your age.
Mistake #3: Not telling a clear story
Experienced job seekers with long careers have often had many different and sometimes seemingly unrelated jobs. This less-than-obvious career path is not a problem, but it can sometimes make it difficult for the employer to get a sense of what you’re all about.
Instead of including a long list of positions that may put most readers off, find a way to sum it up. You could include a summary statement at the top that ties your diverse experience together using a common theme or set of transferable skills. This allows you to highlight your main selling points in a clean and concise manner that readers will be able to grasp straight away.
Mistake #4: Using outdated technology
Using the same email address since 1995 probably won’t kill your chances of being hired but it can be a red flag. Using an email address from AOL or Hotmail can signal to the employer that you’re not as tech savvy as other candidates. This can work against you as you don’t want to appear to be holding onto outdated tech but rather come across as knowledgeable of the latest technologies and how to use these in the business world today.
There may not be any straight up age discrimination, but it may be worth your while to use an email service like Gmail that is popular across all age groups.
Also, it would be a good idea to create a digital presence if you haven’t already done so. Make sure that your social media accounts have recent tweets, posts and shares. Use LinkedIn to network and join in discussion with professionals in your field. If applicable to the job you’re applying for, include your social media links right on your resume.
Mistake #5: Not updating your resume for each position
Many companies now utilise applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter out unqualified candidates. The system will scan your resume, and if it doesn’t pick up keywords, your resume won’t even get to a real person. The system will just put it in the “NO” pile. You have to tweak your resume for each job you’re applying for, making sure you use the same keywords in the job advertisement and/or role description.
No matter how long you’ve been in the workforce, there’s bound to be some uncertainly when it comes to writing your resume. If you would you like some help getting your resume on track for your next job application, Contact us at Resume Masters to find out how our professional services can help.
