5 Mistakes You're Making On Your Resume

The job search has changed a lot in the past 10 years. Gone are the days of traveling to the storefront, filling out an application (with a pen), including a static resume, and then checking the status of your application. Now applicants apply online, employers expect resumes to be tailored just for them, and calling the company to check on your application is considered a major faux pas. Of course, with the changes in the application process comes a whole slew of changes to the resume as well.

Here are the top five mistakes that even good applicants make.

You Include An Objective Statement

It's on every template, and it's covered in every resume writing seminar, but increasingly, hiring managers don't want to hear about your career goals. Instead, they advise that you use this space to write a sentence or two about why you're the perfect fit for the job to which you're applying, and use that space to lead with a concrete portrait of your brand.

Your Email Sounds Like You're Looking For A Date, Not A Job

It may be the email that you use the most frequently, but if your email is Playmate_XXX_69@aol.com, then the hiring manager is going to throw that resume in the trash, probably after shaking their head and laughing, regardless of how well-qualified you are. Instead, set up an email address specifically for professional correspondence with a professional sounding name like FirstLast@msn.com.

You Don't Include Contact Information

This one should be obvious, but it still happens. If you want to be hired, then the person doing the hiring has to be able to get in touch with you. Make sure you include all relevant contact information, including email address, phone number, and physical address. If you have relevant and professional social media accounts, it's wise to include those as well.

You Waste Space On High School

Unless it's relevant to your resume, you typically shouldn't include information from more than 10 years ago, which includes high school. If you've just graduated from college, then focus on your college experience and work history, however meager it may be. If you've been working for a while, then reduce the education section to your degree and any honors, and skip the reference to high school altogether.

Your Resume Looks Like It's From 1995

Do you remember the animated paper clip from the version of Microsoft Word in the mid-'90s? Remember how he used to advise you to add clip art or play with fonts to show off your technological skills? Don't do that. Put the paper clip back in the drawer and choose a simple, readable font like Times New Roman or Calibri.

The landscape of applying for jobs has changed drastically in the past few decades. Even if you're not up to date on the new slang or things like Linkedin, these tips should ensure that your resume is given the attention that it deserves.