11 fatal mistakes on your resume: why you need summari and keywords

In the face of a shortage of time for processing information, recruiters optimize the recruitment process by filtering out resumes with illogical or incomprehensible content. It takes no more than 10 seconds to study one candidate, so the slightest mistake can cause a refusal.

Maria Tronina, a corporate consultant, an expert in the field of building a corporate career, finding a job and developing leadership skills, vice president of finance at Mastercard, and founder of the online school "Career as a Game", will tell about the main mistakes of applicants.

Creating a resume based on a template

A resume is the main tool in a recruiter's work. If it's bright, memorable and every word adds value to it, there is a chance to be ahead of other candidates for the position. Dry, identical, Head Hunter-style resumes are 99% likely to end up in the trash can.

Invalid file name

Recruiters review thousands of resumes every day. When looking at the name of the file, you should get an idea of what the name of the applicant is and what position he is applying for. Then there is a chance that the document will be sent to the folder with potential candidates.

The same approach is applied to the design of the resume header. Starting with the date of birth, previous positions and other unimportant information, the long-awaited call from the employer is unlikely to follow.

Bad photo

If you need to attach a photo to your resume, don't post selfies or amateur photos. The photo should be professional, chest-deep, with a smile. This is the "face" of the resume, demonstrating the attitude of the applicant to the job search process itself.

Refusal of the summari

Summary (summari) - A brief description of the relevant experience, which is located at the top of the resume. It consists of several sentences and allows the recruiter, without wasting precious time, to get an idea of the professional skills of the candidate.

Most job seekers ignore this tool to highlight their experience and stand out from the competition. The attention-grabbing Sammari might look like this: “Over 15 years of successful development of new markets from scratch to 120 million in annual turnover. I wish you to join an ambitious growing renewable energy company that is transforming the world for the better."

Based on the description, the recruiter can conclude that the applicant has 15 years of experience, is able to develop markets from scratch and think big. This is quite enough to get an idea of the potential of the future employee. As a PR move, you can use a branding statement: a combination of summari and the indication of your goals related to your future career in a new position.

Lack of keywords

Many large companies install automatic filters. The first resume is inspected not by the recruiter, but by the algorithm. If the document does not have a keyword hit, it will be overlooked.

"Keys" are present in job descriptions, this is the title of the position and job responsibilities. If your request specifies “appraisal and recruitment” as the expected competency of an applicant, use that wording. Algorithms select potential candidates according to this principle, after which a recruiter starts working with a resume.

Rewriting job responsibilities

Most job seekers, covering work experience, simply rewrite the job responsibilities that they had to perform. Such presentation of information looks dry and will not be able to interest the recruiter.

The main challenge is to turn your responsibilities into achievements using perfect verbs, create a success story in which all the elements are interconnected. “I was engaged in maintaining and sorting the workflow” sounds boring, incomprehensible and does not reveal the identity of the applicant.

“I have formed a client base of 230 customers and streamlined the accounting asset for 5 reporting periods” - this phrase gives a result wrapped in numbers. It is understandable and tangible, and also emphasizes the diligence and activity of the employee.

Too long resume

Nobody reads detailed descriptions of 5-7 pages. The ideal resume should be 1-2 pages in word or pdf format and communicate the most important information about the applicant.

Lack of design or its excess

Do not overdo it with paperwork. In it, it is necessary to comply with the requirements for the format, font, pay attention to the spelling. The design should be kept in strict colors, and the highlighted information should be logically justified.

Less common resume mistakes

In addition to the typical mistakes, there are less common mistakes that can also play a negative role in the perception of a resume.

Do not indicate the scope of the company. If the applicant previously worked in a little-known company or decided to change the industry, it will not be superfluous to inform the former employer about the field of activity. For example, "the company" Sever "(the leading supplier of refrigeration equipment in Russia)".

List all job responsibilities. Better to pack the result into numbers, with a short description. For example, "the head of service centers (he managed three repair shops in Western Siberia and the Volga region with a total staff of 212 people)." Following this, you can indicate your achievements.

Use a chronological summary only. Many do not even realize that, in addition to the chronological arrangement of information, there are other options. When changing a position or industry, it is more logical to use combined or functional resumes, where the description of the relevant experience, wrapped in achievements, is brought to the top.

Cases with examples of successful resumes

The head of the economic department worked in the Coast Guard and at the same time received education related to network administration and information technology, was engaged in setting up training centers. When he was hired as a network administrator, he used a functional resume, bringing to the top the skills and achievements he gained in this area. He indicated the number of classes he worked with, the absence of network breaks for 3 years, the experience of a project manager. From this description, it was clear that he possesses all the qualities required for the position of a network administrator. He briefly indicated his previous work as a manager at the end of his resume. This approach played a decisive role in the recruiter's decision in favor of his candidacy.

The graduate student was trying to find a job without experience and achievements. He was helped by competently presented information about education and projects that he carried out during his studies. He indicated his participation in banking championships, volunteer programs, project work, demonstrating the potential of a person who can be successful in the desired position.

Cases with examples of unsuccessful resumes

The girl had an interesting work experience. She started out as a physics teacher, then worked as an HR specialist, then as a development manager and deputy director of operations. In all positions she had achievements, which she tried to highlight in her resume. But this diversity scared off recruiters. The main mistake was that the resume did not match the position.

The HR specialist had the main recruiting experience, while the position required a training and development officer. She didn’t take the chance to highlight her skills to advantage by putting together a combined resume and adding some expressions from the vacancy.

A well-written resume is half the battle. You need to be creative in creating it, logically linking your achievements and presenting them as a success story.