Resume mistakes to avoid

A good resume is a tool which can unlock the way for you to get your dream job


Every person who wants to get a job needs to have a resume. But just writing a resume is not enough. Even after being experienced in your field you still don't hear from the employers , this can happen if you are making mistakes while writing your resume.

You need a good resume which is free from any errors or mistakes. It is really important as it is the first thing which an employer or a manager sees during the screening process. A flawed resume gives a bad impression about you and can reduce your chances of selection considerably.

In 2018 a survey was conducted by a hiring site TOP RESUME, in the survey it was found that 70 percent of the employers said errors like missing information or unprofessional email address make them reject most of the candidates. 

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So here are the top mistakes that you should avoid at all costs while writing your resume and help you create the best resume format:

  • GRAMMATICAL MISTAKES AND TYPOS
  •  When writing a resume one of the most common mistakes done by people are grammatical errors and typos .Grammatical errors like comma , fullstops are some mistakes which occur commonly. It is really important to make your resume format spelling and grammatical errors free. 

    If the employer finds such types of mistakes it gives an impression of a careless person.  Whenever you write your resume format proofread it twice before sending it to the employer because once you click the send button there is no going back option. 

  • PROVIDING UNPROFESSIONAL EMAIL ADDRESS
  •  When it comes to adding your email address in the resume it is essential to add an email address with a professional name because you are applying for a job and it should be easy and formal looking. 

    It will take minutes to create an email address and you can simply use variation of your first and last name to create it. Why to give the employer a reason to overlook your potential abilities just because of an unprofessional email address.

  • SUBMITTING SAME RESUME FOR EVERY JOB
  • Many people usually send the same resume for every job they are applying as it is time consuming and a complex activity to write a resume for each job they are applying to. But making your resume format customised according to different companies is equally important because each company functions differently and has a different set of principles.

    Pro Tip**: Customising your resume format as per the companies also increases your chances of getting the job and shows that you have put efforts in your resume and you are really interested in working with the company or organisation. 

  • ADDING INCORRECT OR MISSING CONTACT INFORMATION
  • When writing a resume you should put your contact information like mobile no. and email address without any errors or leaving it. By missing out important contact details or writing it incorrectly makes difficult for the employer to contact you. 

    The sole purpose of writing a resume is to make you selected for the interview or for the next round of the screening purpose. So it is always advisable to remember to put the contact information and proofread it before sending it to the employer.

  • MAKING RESUME TOO LONG OR TOO SHORT
  • Sometimes in order to make the best resume format people write their resume in a very long and elaborative manner which makes it difficult to read and chances of your important achievements may get ignored by the employer.It basically makes it difficult to read.. Keep the resume format and contents within the limit of two pages which is more than enough.

    Make your resume of an appropriate length.It is also important to not to make it too short as many people believe that resume should not be more than one page, but keep in mind that highlighting your achievement with respect to the job is really important so that it gains the attention of the employer and convince him/her that you are the best person for this job. 

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  • ADDING IRRELEVANT SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES
  • When writing a resume you need to check which social media profiles you are adding in your resume. Adding irrelevant social media profiles is considered unprofessionalism. For example: When applying for a web developer post you should not add your pinterest profile you should add your portfolio website or linkedin profile which seems to be appropriate with respect to the job.

  • SELECTING WRONG RESUME FORMAT
  • The visual appearance of your resume should look best. The best resume format is the one which is readable and has clarity. Nobody wants to read a resume which is difficult to read and doesn't look good. When writing a resume keep the fonts simple. When selecting a font for resume format you can use modern and basic fonts like helvetica and arial with  font sizes of 11 and 12 which makes it easier to read. 

    When writing a resume keep in mind to put proper gaps between heading and subheadings in your resume format. Adding proper spacing in your resume format makes it even more readable and makes it look even more decent and subtle. It makes a good resume to the best resume format.

    Your resume format plays a key role in your screening process so always try to select a resume format which is simple and gives good visual appearance because you want the employer to feel that this is the best resume format among others. It gives the impression that you are a responsible person and have put efforts for getting the job.

  • SUBMITTING AN OUTDATED RESUME
  • Never submit a resume which is out of date. Try to submit the resume which is up to date with latest information about your professional background. The main point is to find the

    information which makes your resume "the best resume". Only highlight important achievements that add value to the resume even if they are old.

  • ADDING IRRELEVANT SKILLS
  • In order to impress the employer, people tend to add many irrelevant skills to their resume which makes your resume look cringe while reading. Try to add skills which are relevant with the job. For example: If you are applying for a graphic designing job you should add skills like adobe photoshop editing , adobe illustrator not skills I like painting or love to take photos.

  • LYING ABOUT SKILLS OR EXPERIENCES
  • In order to get a job many people tend to fill their resume with lies about their skills and previous job experiences. For example:Some people add 5 year of experience in their previous job but the truth is that they have experience of only 2 years or lying about skills like programming or editing.

    It is always advised to never lie in your resume because in today's world an employer can take out all information in a few clicks and phone calls.It gives an impression of a dishonest person  ;

    If you have any gap of a few months or years try to fill it with some of the skills you have learnt but never replace it with false job experience. Always write things which are true. Getting caught creates a really bad impression and you may lose your chances of getting a job. So stick to the truth and be proud of it.

  • FOCUSING MORE ON DUTIES RATHER THAN ACHIEVEMENTS
  • While writing your resume you should give more emphasis on your achievements rather than your duties. You should write what was your role, what challenges you faced and conquered and how this role created impact and benefited the organisation. It is important to make the employer convince that you have the best resume among others and fit in the role.

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  • ADDING AN OBJECTIVE STATEMENT 
  • Adding an objective statement can be a negative point for your resume. Objective statements are things of past and are not used in the resume format. This gives an impression that you are not up to date with time. Instead of adding an objective statement you can use “Summary” in your resume format. 

    A summary is a paragraph in which you write about yourself. Try to make it convincing and try to limit it to 4-5 lines. This is one of the things which can either make you get selected or make you get rejected. To make your resume format the best resume format, select the right forms of words for your resume format summary.

These mistakes may be very common and may look really silly but these can cost you a lot if not corrected on the right time.We hope that now you must be now aware of which mistakes you should avoid and can help you to create the best resume format for your dream job. 

Making a resume format is a time consuming work and requires a lot of effort to make it the best resume among others.Sometimes we may lose hope but with a little push and guide to what should be added and what not, you can make your good resume format, the best resume format. Be confident and start writing your resume. And go grab your dream job!

All the best!



Written By :
Riya Singh
Career Expert at CV Owl

Your CV or resume is your first impression for any company. With the help of CV Owl, you can get a well-structured CV and your time will be saved. Everything on your CV should be written in a formal manner and in a precise way. You have only 20 seconds to impress your recruiter with your CV, make the best out of it. Visit our series “The HR Talk” where we help you know everything about your job interview from the recruiters.

Try CV Owl as we help you furnish a fully-formatted in a chronological order resume on our RESUME BUILDER or cover letter. You can also try our CV REVIEW SERVICE, through which you get a CV writing expert reviewing the insight of your CV and advising you so that you can make your CV stand out.

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