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You Might Be Doing Your Resume All Wrong

It’s time to start applying for that job you’re interested in. A well-rounded resume is always a great start, but before you do, make sure to keep these don’ts in mind while creating it.

Poor format and grammar

Avoiding grammar and punctuation mistakes is a given. You often have to remember that even though spell check is there, it isn’t always dependable. You have to make sure you’re using the right “your” and “you’re” or “their” and “they’re”, because if an employer happens to catch your mistake, it shows that you don’t put effort into your resume, making you look like you don’t pay attention to your work.

Overdoing it

Yes, keywords are pretty important. The job you’re applying to wants to see that you have the certain skills they’re looking for. Now you really don’t need to be over the top in using fancy adjectives in front of every skill you have. For example, “Hardworking, responsible, detail-oriented, perspicacious, knowledgeable leader”. Limit yourself to one if any and just get to the point. Say what you’re good at and limit the puffery.

Being informal and unprofessional

Hopefully you already know not to use profanity or slang on your resume. It’s best to be formal and polite in your wording to emphasize your professional skills to an employer. There are times to try to show your creativity or witty side (such as your cover letter), but as for a resume, my advice would be to keep it simple. Also, when trying to be sociable and clever with your wording, it could be distracting to the employer when they’re trying to read through your resume. They really just want to know what skills and experience you possess.

Being dishonest

There might be times where you write up a resume and think “I wish I had more skills to put on my resume”. Don’t lie on your resume. It might seem like a good idea, but friends and co-workers will find out about the slander and will probably look down on you for lying. Also if you put down a skill you actually don’t obtain, your future job may rely on you to use that skill. Better to be safe than sorry, so be honest on your resume!

Sending the same resume to every job type

If you’re scouting for multiple jobs at the same time, try to avoid sending the same resume to each job you apply for. It can be a pain to create different resumes but it’s worth it. All jobs are different and it’s smart to use certain skills and experience that is best suited for each position while limiting your resume to one page. If you do this there’s a much higher chance that they’ll read it and you’ll hear back.

We are here to help with your resume and helping you find the perfect match! If you have any questions about your resume or need any help, check out our website or call us at 361-883-3535 today!

Recent Graduate? Sell Yourself With Your Resume

Regardless of the degree you’ve just earned, you will soon spend some time in sales. If you’ve never done so before, you will get your chance when convincing employers that you are exactly what they need.

You should market yourself with your resume as effectively as you sell yourself in an interview. A resume that separates you from other recent graduates, as well as established candidates, is more likely to get you an interview. To make a successful sale, you need to know and understand your current assets.

Relevant Experience – Yes, you have it!
No matter what kind of job history you have, you’ve developed a few skills that are relevant to your current career ambitions. Even if they were not used in the same way as will be expected in your new career, there are many basic transferable skills, such as leadership, customer service, and problem solving. Spend time reading job descriptions that interest you to locate keywords and terminology that relate to your skills to use in your resume. A chronological work history many not help if your most recent work is the least relevant. You can remedy this problem by listing industry internships and giving them more prominence by writing more detailed descriptions than the less relevant experience.

The Cover
Yes, cover letters aren’t always required, but in the job market, you need to take every opportunity you can find to stand out. Writing a cover letter can show your personality, ability to write in a professional manner, and your willingness to be comprehensive and detail-oriented in your work. Your cover letter should be specific to the job for which you’re applying. Read the job description carefully and incorporate relevant keywords that speak to the specific skills and qualities needed for the position.

Flexibility vs. Indecisiveness
When you’re fresh out of college, it’s important to be open minded. You may not get the exact job you want, but you might find a good opportunity you never considered. However, you shouldn’t leave out all of your specific aspirations in an attempt to be flexible. Of course you want to get a job quickly, but you don’t want to appear desperate or seem like you have no real vision of what you want your career to look like.

The most important aspect of making yourself a marketable candidate is focusing on what makes you special and what you can bring to an employer. A new graduate should do this through balancing humility with confidence, and that can include asking for help. The Wilson Group offers resume appraisals, interview coaching and career coaching to candidates. Click here for more information.