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Resume Mistakes You Might Not Realize You’re Making

Resume Tips

If you’ve looked for a new job at any point in your life, you’re probably well aware of the importance of having a well-written resume before you even begin the job search process. Resumes are one of the main tools employers use to determine whether an applicant could be a match for their open position.

If you don’t have a good resume, the likelihood of you getting your foot in the door for a face-to-face interview is slim to none. Unfortunately, even though you may be thoroughly qualified for a particular position, you might not be called in for an interview. This could have something to do with your skills and past experience but, more than likely, it has to do with your resume.

Based on all the resumes we read on a daily and weekly basis, we feel it is well worth your time to take a look at some of the resume mistakes you might not even realize you’re making.

Marking “To Present” On Your Current Job

The first mistake many people don’t even realize is a mistake is marking “to present” while you list your current job. For example, it has become common practice for job seekers to list their current job as something like “July 2019 to Present”.

The issue with this is when is “present”? Did you write, or update, your resume today? Did you write it six months ago? It is missing an important time stamp.

Leaving out specifics on your resume opens the door for employers to wonder what other information you may have left out or what details you may leave out in the future. The simple fix for this is to give an approximate time the resume was written by stating something like, “Current job as of May 2021”. Then, any prospective employer will know whether you are still at that particular job or if you left it in search of a new one.

Leaving Out Dates for Other Aspects of Your Resume

On this same note, it is important to include dates on all of your current and previous jobs, each class taken, every training level completed, as well as any other applicable activities.

It’s better your potential employer know specifics on when you completed certain training activities, when you held certain jobs, etc. than to leave him or her in the dark. In some instances, including a date can let an employer know whether you’ve completed the most recent training on a specific subject or if you might need a refresher.

If you have any doubts as to whether an entry on your resume needs a time stamp, err on the side of caution and add one. 

Allowing Big Gaps of Time Between Jobs with No Explanation

Sometimes job seekers are reluctant to state why they have a gap of time in between jobs on their resumes, but if you do have a gap of time, it’s important you explain why. Don’t just leave a gap of time with no explanation as to what happened.

We all know life happens, but it is far better to explain what happened in your life that caused such a gap than to leave your potential employers guessing. Did you want to take some time off to raise your kids? Did you get furloughed due to circumstances beyond your control? Did you want to take some time for continued education? Whatever the reason, make sure you provide an explanation on your resume. Providing details such as these in the resume also shows you are detail oriented and you care about the truthfulness of circumstances.

Omitting Details About the Skills You Possess

One of the things that sets you apart from other job applicants are the skills you possess. While you and other applicants may have the same education and similar job experience, you likely have a few hard and soft skills others don’t have. It is likely those skills which could put you over the top and make you the person to hire.

Unfortunately, even though it is a significant error to omit details about the skills you possess, it’s far more common than you might realize. Many job seekers leave out key details about their skills.

So, whatever you do, be sure to include details about the skills you possess. Write down what you can do. Be clear about your skills and how those skills set you above the rest. Give facts, figures, percentages and numbers, on conditions you have treated successfully or situations you have improved. The key is to quantify the results you have achieved.

Adding In Too Much Resume Fluff

When putting together your resume, steer clear of adding in too much fluff. Trust me when I say many resumes are loaded down with “fluff” or filled with over-used terms and phrases. An employer doesn’t want to know you’re a “visionary”, they want to know how you are a visionary. What can you accomplish?

Stating you are a “team player” or a “results-driven” employee does not mean much unless you back it up with specific examples and statistics. So, instead of filling your resume with key terms or catch phrases for your soft skills, include specifics on how you accomplished a task or got stellar results because of the character or skill you possess.

A Resume is a Marketing Tool

Remember, your resume is a marketing tool. It is not just a list of the past positions you have held, the training you have done or the certifications you have received. Its purpose is to market you and make it clear why you are the ideal candidate for an employer’s open position. So, you need to make sure you think of it as such and format your resume accordingly.

Leave out details which would likely have no bearing on the job you seek. Include specifics and statistics about results you’ve achieved in similar positions in the past. Realize the employer(s) reading your resume doesn’t know anything about you other than what your resume states. Therefore, your resume needs to market you sufficiently so as to get you an interview. Once you have an interview, you’re halfway there.

We, at the People Link, take pride in helping job seekers market themselves with the purpose of finding their ideal job where they can then put their skills to good use and thrive in their chosen field. We have spent the last two decades successfully connecting qualified job seekers with employers looking to meet their hiring needs.

If you are currently looking for a position in either the Dental or Allied Healthcare industries, you can check out our current job listings, or contact Mya directly at 818-890-9998 to find out more about the services we offer.

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