1. Lack of Customization

I have often heard that companies will only spend around 30 seconds looking at your resume. For this reason, it is important to make it stand out; especially to the specific company that you are applying to. It is perfectly okay to cater your resume to the position you want (as long as you remain honest). When there is limited space to note your accomplishments, it is better to put the more relevant ones for each company.

In addition, developing a resume that is visually interesting can be a great way to get attention. While readability is paramount, if you’re applying for jobs in a design field, adding a little bit of color and design can be a wonderful touch. 

2. Over-focusing on High-School Accomplishments

While this is all that first year’s have, as you continue on to college consider highlighting on campus employment, volunteer and leadership roles on campus. We all put a lot of time and effort into our High-School activities and stripping it of these accolades can feel disheartening—but fear not! There are plenty of opportunities to create meaningful experiences and achievements in the years you spend in college. A good rule of thumb is: Most recent and most relevant. Start with what you have and work in reverse chronological order – Drop in hours at CP&R can help with this as well.

3. Listing Arbitrary Hobbies and Interests

While you are trying to convey a sense of yourself as a person, your resume is not the place to list what you like to do. An employer is concerned with whether or not you can do what they need you to do, and your interest in yoga and reading is irrelevant unless you can demonstrate how it helps in the role for which you are applying. Participating in a campus-wide yoga club or book club is a little more impressive, but better still is speaking about your role as a leader in one of these clubs.  

4. It’s All in the Details

Making sure that grammar and spelling are immaculate, it is also important to keep a sense of cohesiveness throughout the resume. Make sure that you are using the appropriate tense throughout (Past tense for jobs completed, present tense for roles you currently hold) and using consistent formatting. Using consistent  formatting throughout when it comes to dates, roles, titles etc. is one of the most important considerations.

What are some common resume mistakes you’ve made? Comment below on how you’ve learned to avoid these!