If you somehow believe that a well-written, mistake-free resume isn’t all that important, think about this: Your resume is usually the first contact you have with a potential employer. They get their first impression of you from that document. Now, you most likely do believe in the importance of a good first impression. In this case, that impression could make or break your chance of getting a job offer.
Your first concern should be to avoid the kind of mistakes that make your resume look unprofessional. The following mistakes are easy to make but difficult to rectify. Avoid them and give yourself a better chance of getting your next job:
1. Poor Spelling and Grammar
Your resume needs to be grammatically perfect and free of typos. If it isn’t, you risk having a hiring manager branding you as an inept writer or, worse, as an applicant who doesn’t care enough to do the necessary proofreading. Either way, you’ll be off to a very shaky start.
Along those lines, don’t use phrases like “responsible for material planning.” Instead, put some life into your description with action verbs that grab the manager’s attention: “Consolidated material data into one program” or “established a process that made material planning more efficient” contain verbs that show you as a person of action and a problem solver.
2. Listing Duties Instead of Accomplishments
You might think listing your duties on your resume will impress a prospective employer, but the truth is they aren’t all that interested in your former duties. What they want to see is a list of your accomplishments.
For instance, you could say you handed out tools while working in the tool crib. Those were your duties. Or, you could explain how you came up with a system that reorganized those tools so those that were required the most were strategically stored for quicker access. That was an accomplishment.
Hiring managers like to see more of the latter. It gives them clearer insight into the kind of worker they would be getting.
3. Not Tailoring Your Resume to the Job
Don’t make the mistake of sending out one of those one-size-fits-all resumes. It’s insulting to the employer and will probably end up in the circular file.
Companies want to know what you can do for them, so you need to create a resume specifically for them. Yes, it is extra work, but this is not the time to be lazy. You must invest the time to tell them how you will be the perfect candidate for their open position and why you will fit well into their company’s culture.
You can’t do that with a boilerplate resume.
Are you ready to change jobs?
We can help. Contact Pro Resources for the light industrial or technical/professional position you’re hoping to find. We’ve been in business for over 30 years, so let us use our expertise to help you find your next job.