What red flags should you look for when proofreading a resume?

Prior to founding my career strategy practice, I recruited at senior levels for 2 decades. Here's the BIGGEST red flag: When it is obvious that the person hit "auto apply" and did not read the job posting. 90% of the resumes I received for any role from manager to CEO had not fully read the job posting. When a job posting specifically states Top Secret Security Clearance, or CPA or mergers and acquisition experience...I am evaluating a resume for those specific mandatory requirements. If they aren't there, that is more glaring that a resume festooned with typos. And, will get a resume moved to the reject pile even faster than egregious typos.

Submitting any type of document with spelling errors and typos is a bad reflection on your professionalism – but when it’s your resume, it can be the ultimate mistake. You might’ve even been the perfect person for the position, but the multiple errors on your resume are telling a different story. They are telling the hiring manager that you are not detail-oriented and that you don’t take the time to double check your documents before you send them out. In almost any career, these are not ideal qualities. Make sure to: -Double, triple check your work. -Use spellcheck. -Let your friend or colleague review it. -Quadruple check it!

Typos and Grammar Mistakes Simply put, it looks bad. Especially in the age of technology, this tells your potential employer that you couldn't be bothered to run your resume through spell check. Paragraphs vs Bullet Points Keep it consice! Often Recruiters / Hiring Managers will have hunderds of resumes to work through, nobody wants to read an essay. (Same goes for resumes over two pages in most cases) Poor Formatting Presentation matters. A messy or inconsistent format can distract from your qualifications. Ensure a clean and professional layout that highlights your skills and experience effectively. (it's easy to find templates online)

A resume communicates so much more than the chronology of potential employees’ work histories. It stands in the place of and is the representative for perspective employees. Perspective employees who do not proofread and edit their resumes are demonstrating their lack of attention to detail. Paying attention to detail is a key skill that employers look for; therefore, future employees should make sure there are no errors or mistakes on their resumes.

It is very easy to not see your typos anymore after you have read your resume too many times. Yes you can use a spell checker, ask someone else to review it or wait for about 15 minutes and review your resume again. By doing this it is easier to spot any typos.

I wouldn't add date/year of graduation unless I was a recent graduate. If you have been out of school for awhile, most of your college accomplishments (including GPA) become less relevant.

Check every line on your resume and ask yourself "Is this information helping to show I am the perfect candidate?" If the answer is no, remove it. If there is too much irrelevant or outdated information on your resume, it is much harder that your really useful information sticks out. Make it easier for the recruiter and show them the relevant information.

Living in Los Angeles and working in Hollywood, I see a lot of ''kitchen sink'' resumes that don't always speak to the position under consideration. It is not relevant that you act in commercials or teach salsa dancing when working as a white-collar professional. Candidates with disparate experiences need to convince hiring managers that they can focus upon their core responsibilities and not get distracted by outside interests. Their resumes should be carefully tailored to reflect their understanding of the role they would play at the COMPANY.

I know from recruiters and hiring managers that one of the top skills they want a resume to convey is effective communication. If your resume contains errors-or even sentences that don't flow--you're not reflected as a good communicator. Have a trusted resource proof your resume. If you can't get a handle on how to address some of the elements, it is worth every penny to invest in your future by seeking out a reputable resume writer.

Most resumes, in my opinion, lack achievement because most people, like myself, are too preoccupied with achieving and keeping no record. When it comes time to update your CV, we have too much to remember and be accurate about. To avoid this, keep an Excel?file on your desktop and use it for monthly self-assessment and achievement tracking. To demonstrate influence and results, be generous with figures.

This is one of the biggest factors in resumes getting thrown away right out the gate. No pictures, no fancy multi column layouts. Make it easy to parse.

After I list each company, I briefly describe what the company did. It contextualizes your experience while adding keywords that might be helpful if a recruiter is searching for them.