Resume Writing: Five Ways to Stay Out of the Recycle Bin

While there are many ways you can improve your resume to set yourself apart from the competition, there are also things you can do to ensure that your resume lands in the recycle bin; and resume are not recycled by employers. Hundreds of thousands people eliminate themselves from the shortlist for a coveted position by making one of these fatal resume writing mistakes. If you want your resume to result in a phone call rather than ending up in a landfill, make sure you avoid these resume writing blunders:

Resume Writing Mistake 1: Submitting a general resume as a response to a specific job description.
Every resume you submit should be tailored as closely as possible to match the job description for the position. Many people have a variety of different skills and abilities that they can choose from to highlight in their resume – include only those details that are relevant to the position you are applying for. Submitting a resume that describes all of your skills and abilities is more likely to confuse employers than impress them.

Resume Writing Mistake 2: Not including a cover letter with your resume.
A cover letter is a job seeker’s introduction to an employer, and in many cases, the cover letter will determine whether the resume is ever read. Even resumes submitted by e-mail should include a cover letter.

Resume Writing Mistake 3: Providing too much personal information.
When resume writing, it’s important to relay only the most vital information that employers need to make a decision about your suitability for the position. Erroneous information, such as religious affiliation, clubs and organizations, hobbies, family details, or other personal information is more likely to hurt you than help you, unless the information is relevant to the specific position being applied for.

Resume Writing Mistake 4: Perfume, pictures, and poetry
Anything not specifically related to the job that you are applying for does not belong on or with your resume. Pictures do not belong on a resume (excepting certain performing arts positions), perfume is more likely to annoy than please, and poetry is unlikely to be interpreted in a positive way. Save these “p’s” for your scrapbook and keep your resume restricted to the basics.

Resume Writing Mistake 5: Leaving out critical keywords
Many employers rely on resume scanners to filter resumes based on keywords. If your resume does not contain the target keywords, it is not going to get reviewed by a human, even if you have the best resume in the stack. The best place to find these keywords is in the job description. Identify the words that seem important to the employer, and then be sure to use them in your resume to avoid being eliminated.