Skip to main content

7 Things to avoid in a Resume

In our zeal to impress prospective employers, we often make some rather avoidable mistakes in our Resume.
I have outlined some common errors/redundancies:
  • Omitting the Career Objective
The most obvious thing that comes to my mind is not giving a suitable career objective or giving a vague one. You career objective must be to the point, professionally worded and future oriented. Avoid generalizations like "looking forward to working in a progressive company", or "interested in career development" or worse "interested in respectable position". Search inwards and focus on what you wish to achieve through your career, in terms of professional growth and personal development.
  • Not focusing on role achievements
Worked in HR Department" or "Assisted in accounts" are too general. Highlight what your contributions were in your term in the organization. For eg., "Led team to achieve the sales target of 100 Cr" or "Streamlined processes for better operational efficiency" or "Helped in reducing training costs by building internal resources" are more oriented and lead to great interview questions.
  • Haphazard presentation
Organize your Resume into sections under headings like Education, Professional Courses/Certifications, Career, Personal Details, etc. Don't give information haphazardly.
  • Giving too many personal details
This is a mistake common to most Indians. Details of parents, place of birth, family history, are totally unnecessary. Remember your Resume is an Outline of your Professional Life. Keep it professional.
  • Too long or too wordy
Another common error. We tend to run away with our description of our abilities and talents. Keep it short and to the point. A recruiter gets put off by pages of personal propaganda.
  • Spelling and grammatical mistakes
Please check and recheck your document for errors of spelling and grammar. These are unforgivable and put you in a very clumsy position. If possible, get your Resume proof-read for errors.
  • Signing your Resume
A Resume is an impersonal document to be accompanied by the more personal application letter. It does not have to be signed. Make sure your covering letter is signed and tailored to suit the job advertised.
An objective, professional Resume that offers relevant information is both time-saving and effective. The Recruiter will appreciate your valuing his/her time.

Comments

  1. Nice tips covered and explained about resume writing. Must read before you write yours.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

All We Imagine as Light- Lyricism on Celluloid

When an Indian film makes it the prestigious Cannes film festival, the world sits up and takes notice! And the lovely ladies swinging on the stage is a recent memory that brings a sense of pride. I had the good fortune to catch this film on screen recently. A review of such work is unnecessary, but still am bursting to say a few words. Right from the scintillating background score, to the events that unfold like pages fluttering in an open book, to the effortless performances, it's a masterpiece all right! The first half romances Mumbai- in the rains, at night, in the bazaars, in dingy rooms, in the local trains. Image source: Wikipedia  The second half shows what light truly is, brilliant sunshine, crashing waves and salty air in a small coastal village in Maharashtra. You can feel the taste of salt, the breeze in your hair and the touch of sand under your feet, the cinematography is so real. Payal Kapadia masters the art of holding back, of showing beauty in the mundane. The hosp...

Guru Dutt - Legacy of an Overlooked Genius

"Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaae to Kya Hai:" This heartfelt anguish was literally personified by film maker and actor extraordinaire - Guru Dutt, whose birth centenary happens to be tomorrow (July 9).  Maestro or Failed Genius? All his life, he strove to depict his vision, his dreams on celluloid. Yet, even as he strove for success, for renown, he was a bit of a recluse, a black sheep himself. It was as if he wanted to challenge the language of popular cinema by being within the format, from the inside. His women had brains, taxi drivers and masseurs were philosophers, sex workers pined for spiritual ecstasy, and friendships blossomed between unlikely people. Common people on the street spoke wiser logic than academics or high-nosed editors. The topics of the films may seem dated now, but the eternal truths voiced in them remain relevant.   His films were distinctly different from other popular Hindi films. They had all the commercial elements of song, dance, comedy, romanc...

All Work and No Life - Off Runs the Wife!

The recent ramblings of some elderly gentlemen (one a company founder, another a CEO) on how much we many hours we should be working, are symptomatic of all that is kaput with corporate India. The reason we have so few cases of innovators and path-breakers. The reason why Nadella and Pichai shine overseas. The reason start-ups and entrepreneurial attempts fail faster than you can say 1,2,3. These guys have got all the mathematics wrong!  Machismo and Hot Air I find these announcements to be glaring examples of the inherent tendencies of machismo, bullying, slavery, high-handedness privileged males in our country are used to.  At home, when raja beta works, rest of the family keeps quiet. When he needs food, wifey supplies it. Shhh, raja beta is sleeping, don't make noise. Don't irritate him, get him a cup of hot tea/coffee, quick, he's tired from working all day. You get the drift? The whole ecosystem in the workplace is designed to reward the raja beta slaving away rather ...