You have crafted the “perfect” resume. There are no typos, you’ve highlighted accomplishments, not just tasks, and your document is even ATS compatible. But yet, you have received hardly any responses from all of the jobs you’ve applied to. It may be that your resume isn’t as perfect as you thought. Here are the top three ways that your resume is sabotaging your job search.
You are a resume repeater.
Technology position? Same resume. Leadership position? Same resume. Grad school application? Same resume. Your resume should be specific to the positions that you’re applying for.
Your resume is a laundry list of every position you’ve ever had.
You might have loved your college babysitting job, but the recruiter for a law firm doesn’t care. A recruiter just wants to know your related experience and transferable skills. You can save the “year of backpacking in Europe” story for your interview.
Your resume is inconsistent.
None of your dates line up, your punctuation is inconsistent and your organizational style is all over the place. Hiring managers will assume that an unorganized resume is reflective of your work style. Keep it consistent, easy to read, and easy for the recruiter to find what they’re looking for.
