5 Red Flags to Avoid on Your Resume

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Only the top 2 percent of candidates make it to the interview, according to Robert Meier, President of Job Market Experts. 

 

With hundreds of job applicants, there must be a way for recruiters to sort through ALL these resumes–right? Well, with a little process of elimination, they can rule out quite a few resumes they find unsuitable for the position. 

 

Keep your resume in circulation by avoiding these 5 red flags:

 

🚩 Lack of supporting details. Don’t just list your experiences, explain what your tasks were with keywords that correspond to the company’s job description. In addition, mention your accomplishments with numbers that measure your success.

 

 

🚩 Poor spelling and grammar. Your attention to grammar reflects your attention to detail. When an employer is deciding between your resume and someone else’s, a lack of fluency could be the deal-breaker. Avoid minor mistakes by going beyond your basic spell check and get another pair of eyes to help you revise your resume. 

 

🚩 Too many pages. Your resume should be 1-2 pages of relevant job experience. Your resume should rarely exceed 2 pages. Shoot for quality rather than quantity, including only the most important and pertinent details. Prioritize information that supports you being a qualified candidate for this specific role. 

 

🚩 Lying. Whether it’s about your experiences, your skills, or your previous terminations, do NOT lie. Hiring managers often run background checks and screenings to uncover embellishments like these. If they catch you, they’ll deem you dishonest and potentially disqualify you as a prospect for other jobs within the organization. 

 

🚩 Difficult to read. Keep your formatting simple. Choose a plain font and separate your resume into sections. Don’t worry about color or pizazz, let the content do the shining. Highlight information on your resume effectively to help managers read it quickly and clearly. Proper formatting shows your ability to be organized, a quality that all hiring managers look for in a candidate. 

 

A great resume doesn’t guarantee a spot in the top 2 percent; however, it can certainly help. Keep in mind that your skills and experiences are unique, and tailor your descriptions to correlate with the job requirements. Be honest and make your resume stand out from others while avoiding these red flags. Good luck!

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