Make no mistake…

We all make mistakes, or so we’ve been told … When it comes to the job hunt, there’s extra pressure for everything to be perfect, from your resume to your interview, and in today’s hyper-competitive market, one little error could cost you a job. Whether it's fumbling over a crucial question or misinterpreting the company culture, blunders on the job hunt can be disheartening. That’s why it pays to plan for common mistakes so you can be sure to avoid them. Fear not: even if you do make a misstep, it’s never too late to turn things around. Showing the hiring manager you can come back strong after a mishap demonstrates your ability to overcome challenges. So, while we all aim to avoid mistakes when possible, remember that they can also be embraced!

The most common resume mistakes and how to avoid them

Your resume is the first impression a potential employer has and you often have just a few seconds to convince them to keep reading. Getting it right is crucial to success, but what does it take to hold their attention? Are there any tricks to getting past the Automatic Tracking System? What exactly do recruiters and hiring managers want to see? More importantly, what are the most common resume pitfalls and how do you avoid them? Executive Resume and LinkedIn Writer, Virginia Franco, describes resumes as your “career marketing collateral” and after sixteen years in the business, she knows how to spot a howler. Check out her list of common resume mistakes and find out how to fix them. Follow her advice to refine your brand and ensure your key marketing material (aka your resume) hits the mark.

Mistake no. 1 - Being too vague

People are scared to write down exactly what they’re aiming for, they always want to keep their options open in the hope they might scoop up some role they haven’t even considered, but Franco says this is a mistake, “The truth is, how you write for Silicon Valley is different than how you write for Wall Street, and how you write if you’re targeting a finance job is different than if you’re targeting a sales role.” In a competitive market, you can’t appeal to everyone all at once. It waters down your impact and you’ll end up appealing to no one.

Franco’s tip: “List your headline at the top just like there’s a headline in a news article and tell the reader this is what the story’s about.”

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