Last week, CareerBuilder.com released its survey and study of resume do’s and don’ts. The one I received on used toilet paper was both a do-do and a don’t. But, at least she used 12-point Times New Roman. Still, that didn’t make the list. Here’s what did…
How long should a resume be?
Two pages max; one page if you are a recent college grad.
Top 5 Most Common Resume Mistakes?
- Typos
- Too Generic
- Don’t list skills
- Mimic the job posting
- Inappropriate email address
Most Outrageous Resume Mistakes
- Resume was submitted from a person the company just fired
- Resume’s “Skills” section was spelled “Skelze”
- Resume listed the candidate’s objective as “To work for someone who is not an alcoholic with three DUI’s like my current employer”
- Resume included language typically seen in text messages (e.g., no capitalization and use of shortcuts like “u”)
- Resume consisted of one sentence: “Hire me, I’m awesome”
- Resume listed the candidate’s online video gaming experience leading warrior “clans,” suggesting this passed for leadership experience
- Resume included pictures of the candidate from baby photos to adulthood
- Resume was written in Klingon language from Star Trek
- Resume was a music video
- Resume didn’t include the candidate’s name
- On the job application, where it asks for your job title with a previous employer, the applicant wrote “Mr.”
- Resume included time spent in jail for assaulting a former boss
In the comments below, tell me your biggest resume pet peeve and the craziest resume item you ever read from a job applicant.