The Biggest Resume Format Mistakes to Avoid

1. A lack of distinct headings

• Employers rely on the layout of your resume (the header and section headings) to find relevant data. Therefore, it may be challenging for them to comprehend your resume if the headings are ambiguous or lengthy. Keep your resume headings concise, catchy, and simple for improved returns (underlined or bolded).

2. The one-size-fits-all method

• While having a master’s resume—a collection of all your professional information—is essential, you should also have distinct resumes for various jobs. For instance, a resume for a copywriting position should be different from one for a social media position. When you tailor your resume for a particular opportunity by including only pertinent information, it shows that you are a hard worker.

3. A section with “objectives”

• Therefore, you devoted a section of your resume to describe how you’re looking for a job that will help you advance your managerial skills. How incredible. Unfortunately, this says nothing good about your professional abilities to a potential employer. An objective section is therefore as useless as water in a basket. Change it out for a polished summary that encapsulates your value proposition in one to three lines.

4. Pronouns you’ve used personally in your experiences

• I observed the recurring use of personal pronouns (like “I,” “my,” and “me”) while evaluating the 30 resumes. “But the resume is about me, isn’t it?” came the defense. Although the resume is yours, it serves as an impersonal summary of your professional background. By eliminating any personal pronouns or articles, you can keep your resume focused on business.

5. A list of all online certificates

• A specific resume contained a list of every online course the owner had ever taken. 10 dishes, to be exact. Normally, this would be a positive action because it shows that the person is a lifelong learner. Sadly, that was not the case. It turned out that the majority of the listed courses weren’t relevant to the desired position, so I suggested he remove them. Remove any unnecessary or entry-level certificates from your resume as well. Include only the credentials that helped you learn highly valuable skills relevant to the job you’re applying for.

6. Mentioning Microsoft Suite as a talent

• The employer will assume that you can build formulas in Excel, merge emails, and create automated “rules” in Outlook if you list Microsoft Office under the skill section. Remove Microsoft Office from your resume unless you are capable of doing these, and instead list the specific platforms you are familiar with in Microsoft Office. If not, your lack of Microsoft Office expertise may become apparent during the interview process or while working.

7. Typographical errors

• You may not be invited for an interview if your resume contains errors. You might object, “But a misspelling or typo doesn’t ascertain my expertise.” It does not determine your competence, yes. However, it paints you as someone who doesn’t pay attention to details, which is a deal-breaker. A survey reported that 75% of employers said they would dismiss an applicant if they discovered spelling or grammar mistakes on the resume.