What are the most common resume writing challenges?

On average, Recruiters spend anywhere from 7-10 seconds on a resume before deciding whether to move a candidate forward. This is why it’s so important to highlight relevant experience on your resume so Recruiters don’t have to hunt to find it. I recommend adding a “relevant experience” section at the top of your resume. This is helpful when you want to highlight previous experience instead of more recent experience. For example, maybe you want to apply for a marketing position and you have related experience from earlier in your career. Instead of listing it at the bottom of your resume, you can highlight it in the relevant experience section at the top of your resume so it’s the first thing recruiters see.

I always recommend tailoring your resume to the job you are looking for. This helps the reader picture you for the role. Some companies value different things, so being able to identify and highlight those within your resume is key.

Resume writing is a crucial skill, but it comes with challenges like clarity, formatting, length, addressing gaps, using keywords, demonstrating value, customization, avoiding overloading, and maintaining professionalism. Mastery of tense, focus on soft skills, and effective use of white space are also essential for a strong resume.

Balancing Brevity and Detail: Tip: Focus on achievements and quantify them where possible. Avoid lengthy job descriptions, and instead, highlight significant contributions. Tailoring for the Role: Tip: Review the job description closely, and emphasize skills and experiences that align directly with the position's requirements. Avoiding Clichés and Generic Terms: Tip: opt for specific examples that demonstrate these qualities in action, rather than relying on generic terms.

One thing that you need to consider when writing or reading a resume is cultural context. In the US, keeping everything to one page is de rigueur. We only earn multiple pages if we have long careers. In other countries though, multi-page resumes are common, and people will sometimes put their pictures or kindergartens or interests, which could seem weird to an American reading it. At the same time, despite what Americans might think, we're not the center of the universe. It's good to extend some grace to people from other cultures, especially if we plan to work together and collaborate with them.

The biggest mistake I see teachers making in formatting their corporate resumes is that they think colors, graphics, and pictures will help them stand out. this is really the opposite based on the feedback my team has received. You want a resume that is straight forward and easy to read.

Write your resume for the human eye. The ATS I use as a recruiter shows me every resume as is. I reject unqualified applicants. There are two things I look at, the resume and the APPLICATION. Sometimes applicants have incomplete applications or answer required questions with a negative response. Meaning, a question could be something like are you at least 18 years of age? And if they answer no, then I can reject them. These are known as knockout questions. So sometimes, it's not your resume that gets you rejected, it's how you fill out your application. Yes, the ATS parses some of the information from your resume onto the application, but it doesn't always do it correctly so you HAVE to manually input the correct information.

Take the focus off you in your resume. Though your resume is about your experience and your accomplishments, always focus on how your experience and accomplishments can add value to your potential employer. Remember, your resume should showcase what will make you a cost-effective employee and how you will benefit the organization.

There is a lot of misconception about ATS. First of all, not every companies are using ATS. So it is best to create an ATS friendly resume that is also pleasant to human eye. We can still use some basic Microsoft Words formatting tool which are ATS friendly; such as blue font color for important info, background paint for headings, and colored border for list of skills. Remember that your resume will still go to the Hiring Managers after it went through the ATS screening.

Only writing to please the ATS, not a PERSON is a massive challenge. Please (please!) understand that an ATS is a big old digital filing cabinet. Not a mean little gremlin waiting to kick out any resume that it doesn't like the look of. So, write for the person reading the resume! Yes, use keywords from the job ad. Yes, speak to the specific skills or software it mentions. No, don't go wild with a Canva format or 32 different icons. (Duh). But also - tell your story. Tell the reader who you are and how you will solve their challenges. Show them that you've looked under the hood, know who they are and what they do, and that you're interested in THEM and THIS role! People hire people. So be personable.

I use this formula to create an impactful executive summary: 1. Who you are today eg. Education background, Years of Experience, List of Expertise, etc. 2. What is your key differentiator in your profession eg. job achievements, awards & recognitions, project completion, etc. 3. What is your career aspiration or preferred position as reflected from number (1) and (2). Eliminate career objective or personal profile because it will not help job matching.

Experts say that it takes 6 seconds for a recruiter to screen a resume so it is a good idea to have a good and complete summary which is the first thing they read. Include certifications, specific tools, languages spoken and international experience (if applicable). Remember that you have to save the recruiter′s time and guarantee the interview.

Instead of a summary statement, list out your top career highlights with metrics. This will definitely catch the eye of the hiring manager and let them know the exact value you bring to the organization. Here's an example - CAREER HIGHLIGHTS ??Increased sales 58%+ and delivered millions in consumer impressions, both instore and online. ??Delivered 1B+ impressions with 29M SKUs in 15K+ stores. ??Grew sales 8% YOY and securing 52 media placements, including People, Entertainment Weekly, and O Magazine. ??Shorty Awards finalist for 20th anniversary influencer campaign.

A compelling summary at the very beginning of your resume is essentially your elevator pitch to potential employers. The bad news is, that it’s not easy to condense your whole career & objectives into a couple of sentences. And the good news is, that you don’t have to! What you need to achieve in the summary section, is to give a teaser about who you are and what makes you unique in your expertise, eventually to make them want to read the rest of your resume.

I find it difficult to write a nice looking resume on 1-2 pages and still mention the major projects and achievements. Even when I try to focus on the last 5 years of the experience the resume gets over 3 pages.

These are indeed the common challenges many of us face when writing a resume. It's all about finding that balance between showcasing our skills, customizing for each job, addressing any gaps or changes, and staying updated with the latest trends.

Again, I like the simplicity of Scott Vedder’s, “Signs of a Great Resume: Veterans Edition” All you have to do is look at the symbols (!@#$%) above the 12345 on your keyboard. In addition I tell my mentees every bullets point on your resume MUST have 4 elements: 1) Start with an action verb (don’t use the same thing over and over please - yawn ??) 2) It must explain WHAT you did. 3) It must explain the RESULT(S). 4) It must explain the IMPACT to the organization (most important part IMHO) Play with the sequence until it looks right If you need examples or don’t understand I recommend a small investment in Scotts book ?? because the Return on Investment (ROI) is HUGE ?? After this if you still need help Lori Norris is fabulous!

Avoid being vague and writing numbers just for the sake of it! When you list your achievements on your resume, always add more context. Instead of just saying "increased sales by 20% on LinkedIn," explain it more, like "achieved a 20% increase in sales by starting up a new LinkedIn outreach strategy that resulted in 50+ new leads in 3 months." This method shows not just what you achieved (a 20% sales increase) but also how you did it and why it's important. To ensure what you're writing makes sense to potential recruiters and employers, have a friend review your resume to see if the points are understandable and relevant.

While you do want to include quantifying metrics on your resume whenever possible, it's ok if every bullet doesn't have a metric. For those that don't, think about ways that the work made an impact - did you increase efficiencies? Did you decrease the amount of labor required to do something because you automated a process? Sometimes thinking about your responsibilities in terms of: If I didn't do this, what would the negative effect be, then taking that and turning it around into a positive/impactful bullet for your resume can work. Instead of: "Completed bi-weekly payroll", you could say: "Executed payroll services for 20 people on a bi-weekly basis ensuring time card deadlines were adhered to for on time delivery of employee pay."

One of the biggest changes I make on people's resumes when I'm helping them re-write is to change up the bullet points to make sure that their resume does't read like a job description. I have candidates list out their accomplishments in terms of quantifiable results, for each role listed on their resume. This highlights their abilities and what they can do for the next company. The best part is that not everything can make it on the resume but they have a list of bullet points ready to go that we can plug in when we customize their resume for the next job. It gives them a quick way to easily customize their resume for each role that they're applying to and it best showcases their abilities.

Avoiding spelling and grammar errors is crucial when creating your resume. Mistakes in your resume can make a negative impression on employers and suggest a lack of attention to detail. To prevent this, thoroughly proofread your resume, use spell check tools, and consider having someone else review it. A well-written, error-free resume conveys professionalism and can help you stand out as a qualified candidate in the eyes of potential employers.

If I had a nickel for every resume we analyzed that had "manger" instead of "manager", I could take my wife out for a fancy dinner. Spellcheck can't catch that and neither will grammar check. They are both nouns so will be correctly placed in the sentence. The best way to spell check is to read words from the bottom up. Don't read sentences, look at the words. Some grammar tips from our editor: YOU are not in the resume so remove ALL personal pronouns. Articles (a, an, the) are not necessary to the average reader. Get rid of them. Bullet points are NOT full sentences so don't have periods at the end. Sentences contain a single idea, not multiple.

A quick way to get negative points is to have spelling and grammar errors in your resume. It shows a lack of attention to detail and care. What kind of effort are you going to put in as an employee if you are already lacking as a candidate? Consider having multiple people read and review your resume to have a fresh set of eyes on it. We often overlook mistakes because we are continuously reading the same sentences over and over again. Try using spelling and grammar tools (Grammarly as an example) to help reduce your errors.

Spelling & Grammar Errors Irrelevant Info Missing Keywords Vague Descriptions Length Issues Inconsistent Formatting Missing Contact Info Generic Objective Lack of Customization Unexplained Gaps Listing References Jargon Overuse Overdesign Unverified facts

My three favorite proofreading tips: 1) Read from the bottom up. This helps avoid memorization and skipping over mistakes because you know the intent of the sentence. 2) Read out loud. This forces you slow down and will enable you to catch mistakes. 3) Print out and proofread the old fashioned way. It's a lot easier to catch mistakes on paper than on a screen.

My opinion may be different from others but I really don't see resumes as being the proper place to show your passion or personality. Your cover letter, maybe. The interview, absolutely. But the resume, I don't believe so because it's so subjective. If the reader forms an opinion about your passion or personality by reading about all you've achieved in your career, that's fine, but I don't believe it should be a focal point when writing the resume.

How you present yourself on your resume can make all the difference. By showcasing your personality and passion, you can stand out from the crowd and demonstrate your unique value to potential employers. Tailor your resume to the job you're applying for, highlight personal accomplishments that show your passion, and don't be afraid to let your style shine through in the formatting and design. Remember, your resume is a reflection of who you are as a professional, so make it count and let your passion and personality inspire others. YOU GOT THIS!

One thing that I have done to try to convey my personality and passion into my resume is including projects that I initiated or volunteered for that were outside the immediate scope of my work, because these same projects tend to align with the things that I personally enjoy or find fulfilling.

Blend your personality and interests into a resume summary that also highlights your successes. Employers are curious about what makes you tick and why you'll be a great fit - so tell them! For example, a healthcare leader who describes themselves as a compassionate mentor focused on patient outcomes can combine this with a list of care quality achievements. Technology executives passionate about audit results can emphasize their dedication to 99% compliance - illustrating how their dedication to lower risk makes a difference for their employers. Make sure these personal notes are followed by examples of effectiveness and bottom-line results, showing why you are motivated to enhance company performance and meet stakeholder needs.

What's a fun fact about you? Are you a marathon finisher? An aspiring yogi? A master gardener? A black belt in karate?! I want to know, and so do hiring managers. Consider adding fun facts in 3 key places - your summary, an activities/interest section in your resume, and in your LinkedIn about section. We spend more time at work than anywhere else. It's ok to have personality; in fact, it helps a hiring manager envision you on their team.

So much good advice here, so here is what I say, listen to all of it, or rather take what you need to formulate a strategy that works for you. Resumes are subjective and at the end of the day its purpose is to get you an interview. If it is doing that, then its doing its job.

5 Tips para dominar la actualización de tu CV -Tama?o: Destaca los últimos 5-7 a?os laborales ocupando un Máximo de 2 pag. - Evita Información Complementaria: Debes excluir dirección detallada, fotografía si no es profesional, hobbies, datos personales, referencias laborales, último sueldo, etc. - Sumario Profesional: Escribe un sumario que sea una vista previa de tu perfil y genere curiosidad, es decir, incluye Industrias, Funciones Fortalezas, Logros y Formas de trabajo - Experiencia Laboral: Asegura que incluyas Responsabilidades y Logros relevantes (Chat GPT puede ser un aliado al momento de redactarlo) - Sé autentico! para quien lo lea sienta curiosidad de conocerte! ?Qué otros tips conoces y has aplicado?

Selling oneself on a resume can be tough. It's like that moment in an interview when you're asked, "Why you?" and your mind goes blank. Many wrestle with self-promotion, fearing they'll come off as braggarts. It’s a thin line between showcasing your strengths and feeling like you're boasting. Plus, writer's block hits hard; you've got the skills but not the words to express them. And let's not forget imposter syndrome, where you question if you're as competent as you claim. The trick? See your resume as telling your professional story where your skills are the main character, not as bragging, but as presenting your true achievements.

One of the biggest challenges I come across on resumes, is that most candidates look at their resume from their perspective. Start with the live job description first to look at it from the hiring manager’s perspective. To help understand some of the pain points the hiring manager is dealing with. Once we understand what the hiring manager is looking for, we can then tailor our RELEVANT achievements to show how we have solved similar problems. Hiring managers don’t care about you, They care about how you can help solve their pain points. And when we make it easier and quicker to highlight our relevant value to what they need, we more likely to get through to the next stage.

Hire a skilled resume writer. Capturing the brilliance, skill, talent, motivation, and compassion of individuals within the constraints of a resume is undeniably complex. It’s tough to distill one’s unique value proposition—the distinct advantage one brings to a potential employer—into a concise document. Translating skills gained in one field into applicable expertise in another presents its own set of challenges. Explaining career gaps or transitions can be tricky. Doubts about age, experience, or specialization can cast shadows on one’s confidence to apply. A skilled resume writer will guide you through this process with the confidence you deserve.