6 Resume Myths, Mistakes and Misconceptions

For resume writers, January is a banner month for new business. The phone rings off the hook with folks pledging loyalty to their New Year's resolutions. And with those phone calls come a barrage of old wives' tales, myth, folklore, and legend. Here are a few common myths, mistakes, and misconceptions:

"My resume must be one page."

It's not 1980, and unless you're a recent grad, chances are your history warrants more than one page. Give your work history the space it needs to showcase your success pattern.

"A pretty resume makes a good resume."

Of course, you want your resume to be visually appealing, but complex formatting can cause you trouble. Today, most application tracking systems parse resumes, destroying any format you use. Fancy formatting could even cause transcription issues, changing your compelling resume into gobbledygook. Best to keep is simple.

"We are not writing my resume in Times New Roman?"

Want to look old, tired and dated on paper? Pick an old-fashioned font and I guarantee you'll look stale. Typography is a good, fancy-format-free way to help your resume stand out. Use fonts that maximize content on the page and make you look vibrant, fresh and youthful.

"What do mean no one cares about my college internship?"

Unless you are a young professional, details about work experiences such as your college internships or high school jobs don't mean much. Ancient history is ancient history.

"I volunteered on a local political campaign. Do you think I should put that on my resume?"

There is inherent risk in disclosing your religious or political affiliations on your resume. Rule of thumb: Unless you served in some leadership role with positive, quantifiable results, keep religious groups, political organizations or other personal interests off your resume.

"My email address is snugglebuns@aol.com."

Oh boy, that's just wrong on so many levels. First, AOL was delightful in the 90's, but in the 21st century it just screams old. Lose the AOL account. Second, the cutesy email addresses have no place in business. Getting your name or some derivation thereof from Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo!, etc. It is free, easy and much more professional.

A good resume is an investment in yourself and your professional career. Not sure if the advice you heard was fact or fiction? Contact us for a complimentary resume review.



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