With plenty of good jobs, awaiting qualified people. And plenty of qualified people looking for good jobs – you would think “a perfect equation!” I’m sure as a job seeker you’re asking, “Then why is it so hard to match the two?” A contributing factor focuses on applicant’s self-serving letters and poorly written resumes that simply fail to convey what the applicant can do, and how he/she does it. Couple this with the template resumes of thousands of well-meaning applicants, and you have a full-blown lottery in process. What you need is an outstanding document that conveys engaging content about a person’s career. The key word is “engaging.”

This week we’ll address several of the most prevalent resume mistakes, next week we’ll turn our attention to discussing resume enhancements that will make a difference in standing out from the crowd, and move you closer to landing that much prized job. If you apply the following practical advice. It will help prevent needless mistakes from creeping into your resume and rendering your document ineffective.

No specialty: John Smith is good at consumer marketing and Internet start-ups. Jane Clark is a quality assurance specialist and a PR wiz. The trouble is few employers are looking for these exact combinations; they tend to want one thing or the other. Listing irrelevant diverse functions and job titles can make you needlessly hard to categorize in a compartmentalized world of job titles and job functions. The solution is to lead with the expertise most relevant for the type of position you are now seeking, while treating the rest as “supplemental experience.”

Too short and vague: Far too many resumes fail by making claims that are vague to the point of banality. Examples include “good interpersonal skills,” “fast learner,” and “conscientious” If your resume reads like a politician’s stump speech or a beauty pageant interview, start over. In today’s marketplace, you won’t win any prizes for droning on and on, but you are no longer required to cram your accomplishments onto a single sheet of paper. Excessive editing of a resume tends to cut into muscle; you are left with company names and job titles, but nothing about what you actually did.

Writing duties, not accomplishments: Everywhere and always, if you describe the duties you performed and don’t list comprehensive accomplishments, you’re resume is virtually assured of a near-death experience. This is especially true if it comes up against resumes that are packed with significant accomplishments.

Misspelled words and typos: Of all resume blunders, the most pointless results from carelessness with spelling, grammar, and choice of words. Without exception, misspellings, misused words, and grammatical mistakes are irreversible and usually fatal flaws in a resume or cover letter. Use your PC’s spell check, but don’t rely on it alone.

From the executive who boasted that he was “instrumental in ruining the entire operation,” to the would-be administrative assistant who claimed to be a “rabid typist,” misspelling and misused words reveal slipshod work habits and laziness. In your own interest, have someone else proof read your resume after you have.

Poor formatting: Unless you are a recent college graduate and have no prior work experience, a chronological resume is the most effective. That means adhering to the following five resume formatting guidelines.

• Header (with your name, address, hyperlink email address and phone number.) A word of caution: think twice before listing your cell phone, which most third party executive recruiters loathe to call.

• Career summary or profile statement consisting of 4 or 5 sentences in bullet format that quickly provides the resume reader with quantifiable accomplishments of your experience and skills.

• Reverse chronological employment experience emphasizing achievements.

• Education and professional development or special training section.

Though the terms are often used interchangeably, there’s a big difference between a curriculum vitae and a resume: A CV is an exhaustive and strictly chronological list of facts about your professional life. You may need one, if you are applying for a position in the academic community, but don’t expect it to serve your cause in a period of transition in the private sector.

If you want to give your credentials an impressive platform, use a bulleted resume – and understand that you will almost certainly need to have more than one version. Each will highlight and interpret your experience differently in light of the job or career alternatives you’re exploring.

Irrelevant personal pronouns: With just two pages to sell yourself, that’s correct I said two pages, don’t buy in to this resume nonsense that has been prevalent for the last two to three years about having a one page document. You must make each word count. Start by eliminating personal pronouns such as: I, I was, me, my, or our, from your resume. Not only will this improve the readability and free up valuable space but is will definitely create a perception of objectivity.

Joe Hodowanes, a career strategy adviser in Tampa, Florida, offers a free resume and career analysis. Fax your resume to (813) 936-0201 or email it to jmwanes@jmwanes.com For questions, call Joe at (813) 936-0091 or visit www.jmwanes.com on the Web. All Job Search Advisor articles on this website are the property of www.jmwanes.com (J.M. Wanes & Associates). You may download
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© 2005 J.M. Wanes & Associates.