Resumes are the first windows to our professional standpoint, aspirations and ethics. While applying for a job it is of paramount importance that our resumes communicate the same to our employers. Unfortunately, many newcomers fail to design their resumes to meet these requirements.
Here are a few common resume mistakes that a newcomer should avoid:
Long Resume, Less Experience
When a fresher applies for a job employers do not expect extensive experience. If prior professional experience is limited it is advisable that a fresher keeps it simple, to the point and crisp. If the resume contains the applicant’s educational qualifications, internship information if any, and extra curricular achievements it is considered precise and good enough for consideration.
Exaggeration and Fabrication
At times, in order to appear as more viable, applicants resort to exaggeration in their resumes. Exaggeration can be caught during an interview and that can lead to embarrassment. While it is alright to give detailed description of relevant experience, inflated facts can lead to a bad impression. Similarly, fabrication is an absolute no-no and can escalate into actual blacklisting.
Irrelevant and Miscellaneous Information
Freshers often tend to clutter their resumes with personal information, irrelevant details and information that has no direct bearing to the job they are applying to. The resume reader will give precisely five to ten minutes to reading the resume. As such it is important to cut out the fat and concentrate only on the muscle- work experience wise. If it is not relevant, it needs to be cut out.
Skipping the Cover Letter
No matter how extensive a resume is, a cover letter explains exactly why the fresher would be apt for the job. As such, it is a mistake to skip the cover letter. While a resume lists the qualifications, the cover letter explains how the applicant will apply the same to the position in particular. Keeping this in mind it is advisable that a cover letter- customized particularly for the position- always accompanies the resume that is being sent out.
