Most Frequent Resume Mistakes
(Back to
Resume Index) |
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Please, be original. Don't make
these common mistakes. |
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Mistake:
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Inventing a new name for the university |
Correct:
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Use the
full name, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
or use the official shortened name, Virginia Tech. Or use the
full name with the shortened name in parentheses for future
reference. DO include the location as "Blacksburg, Virginia" (or
you may abbreviate state names). DON'T include street addresses
and zip codes of school and work locations. |
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Mistake:
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Listing a personal web site that contains inappropriate
content. |
Correct:
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See listing your personal web site URL on your resume. |
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Mistake:
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Using really small fonts |
Correct:
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Employers are typically reading many resumes, and are taking
less than half a minute to read one. Really small fonts are hard
to read and don't photocopy as well. (That applies to your
address block as well.) What's too small? Generally don't go
smaller than a 10 point, but notice that all font styles aren't
sized equally. For example, a 10 point Arial font is smaller
than a 10 point Antique Olive. |
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Mistake:
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Really wide margins with content squeezed in the middle. |
Correct:
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Your
margins should be at least one half inch. You really don't need
more than one inch. Lots of students ask if their resumes have
"enough white space." An employer isn't reading white space.
Employers are reading your content, and you want it to be easy
to see. |
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Mistake:
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Long wordy descriptions in your objective and elsewhere. |
Correct:
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You
don't need complete sentences in your resume. Concise,
understandable phrases are sufficient. Look at the examples in
resume formats and samples.
Ask for a Career Services advisor's assistance in editing your
resume through walk-in advising. |
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Mistake:
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Typos. |
Correct:
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You
have one chance to make a first impression. In many cases, your
resume, or your resume plus a cover letter, are the only things
an employer has to base an impression of you. The resume is a
critical document for presenting yourself. The view is that if
you would make a mistake on your resume, you'll probably make a
lot more mistakes on the job. It's easy to miss your own typos.
Use spell-check, but remember it won't catch every error.
Frightening example: If you leave the first "l" out of "public
relations," spell-check is not going to let you know. Get the
idea? Ask friends to proofread. |
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Mistake:
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Using too complicated a format; getting too creative. |
Correct:
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The
employer typically spends about 15 to 30 seconds reading your
resume. Keep the layout simple and clean (like the examples in
resume formats and
samples). Avoid too many layers of indentation. Stick with
one font size for the document; only make your name larger.
Don't mix font types. |
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Mistake:
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Using a unique, creative layout or style to stand out from
the crowd. |
Correct:
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The best
way to stand out from the crowd is with high quality content and
a clearly written, neat, error-free document. Employers are
looking for content, not fancy or dangerously creative layout.
Don't stand out for the wrong reason. |
