Recruiters' Top 10 Résumé Pet Peeves
by Norma Mushkat
Monster Staff Writer
“The Internet has changed the focus of a job search,”
explains Michael Worthington of résuméDoctor.com. “Just
because your résumé is nice on paper, it doesn't mean it's
nice on a computer.”
In fall 2002, résuméDoctor.com asked more than 2,500 recruiters
from a variety of industries what they see on résumés that
they just can't stand, and created a list of the top 20 pet
peeves. “This is what the industry is saying, so you
better listen to it,” Worthington warns.
Here are the top 10 pet peeves from the survey and some advice
from recruiters for eliminating them from your résumé:
1. Spelling Errors, Typos and Poor Grammar
According to Bruce Noehren of J. Douglas Scott & Associates,
this directly reflects your reputation. “You don't gain
anything by getting it right,” he says. “This
is credibility you should already possess.”
Of course, you want to use spell check, but that won't catch
every mistake. “Manger” is a correctly spelled
word, but it means something very different from “manager.”
Be sure to pay close attention to those buzzwords related
to your field.
2. Too Duty-Oriented
“If you're using your company's job description, you're
missing the point of your résumé,” says Paul Schmitz
of Hufford Associates. Recruiters already know what the job
is; your résumé should highlight your accomplishments in that
position.
Schmitz advises you show what you've really done by outlining
the process, outcomes and results that are specific to you.
3. Inaccurate Dates or None at All
Recruiters need to know when you worked where to get a better
understanding of your working history and to use the dates
for background checks. According to Kathi Bradley of Bradley
Resources, “Missing dates, especially for long periods
of time, could send up a red flag, and the résumé may be discarded
as a result.”
Include specific ranges in months and years for every position.
If you have gaps, explain them either in your cover letter
or introduction, but not in your résumé. “It always
helps to continue your education and training and to list
any volunteer work during a slow period,” says Bradley.
“Listing these under education or volunteer work should
explain some of the gaps.”
4. Inaccurate or Missing Contact Information
“You create a résumé for one reason: To get a phone
call,” says Kim Fowler of Fowler Placement Service Inc.
How can someone contact you if the phone number is missing
a digit or your email address is incorrect?
Be sure every résumé you send has your correct contact information,
including name, phone number, email address and street address.
Recruiters will not look you up; they'll move on to the next
candidate.
5. Poor Formatting
Different typefaces and boxes may look nice on paper, but
if the résumé needs to be scanned, they can cause confusion.
Recruiters suggest keeping your résumé in plain text.
6. Functional résumés
Whenever possible, recruiters advise you go with a chronological
résumé and focus on the skills and accomplishments that pertain
to the job you're seeking. If you're concerned about a layoff,
be assured that “nowadays, unemployment is quite prevalent,
and recruiters regard it differently,” says Jeanne Pace
of Pace Search Services. “Most people do something to
keep their work [skills] going.” Use that information
to fill in the gaps.
7. Long résumés and 8. Long Paragraphs
“I simply don't have the time to read them,”
says Bob Moore of Computer Recruiters Inc.
Focus on the skills and accomplishments that directly apply
to the job you're trying to get. Every word counts, so don't
dwell on the specifics of each job, but rather the highlights
specific to you.
9. Unqualified Candidates
You may want a job, but if you don't have the skills and
experience needed, recruiters will feel you're wasting their
time.
Look at the job description. Be sure to highlight the skills
they are looking for with a bulleted list of your related
qualifications at the top of the document.
10. Personal Information Unrelated to the Job
With the limited time recruiters spend on your résumé, you
don't want to distract them with your age, height, weight
and interests unless they're directly related to the work
you want to do.
“You need to make the link between what a recruiter
needs and what you bring to the table,” explains Fowler.
“Anything personal that is not directly linked to the
position takes away from the point of the résumé.”
Related Link:
» Download résumés from Resource
Central
Article reproduced from the Monster
résumé Center at http://résumé.monster.com/articles/petpeeves/.The
purpose of this article is to both provide information and
facilitate general dialogue about various employment-related
topics. No legal advice is being given and no attorney-client
relationship created. Please see the disclaimer for further
limitations and conditions.
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