5 Resume Mistakes to Avoid

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There's one magical thing that can get you the job of your dreams.

 

Contrary to popular belief, it isn't nepotism, sycophancy or even a bribe; it's

a small document called the Curriculum Vitae, or Resume. Even though most of us

recognise the importantance of a resume, we don't carve out enough time to give

our resume the attention it deserves. Often, CVs are shoddy, incomplete,

irrelevant and, sometimes, downright hilarious. Here are five mistakes you need

to avoid to make sure your CV is a winner.

 

Mistake 1: Writing too much

 

" Length is the biggest problem, with most CVs often being a minimum of three

pages. I once received a CV that was 11 pages long, " says Purvi Seth, vice

president of Shilputsi Consultants, a human resources development firm.

 

More often than not, literary aspirations come tend to the fore when one is

writing a CV; people end up filling pages and pages of details. Those who can't

find enough details to fill the pages write the same thing over and over again,

in different styles, words and jargon.

 

A prospective employer faces two choices when he or she takes the first look at

such a CV -- hit the delete button or hire a professional copyeditor to cut the

chaff and find relevant matter. BTW, even though copyeditors come cheap these

days, employers prefer the former. So: i. Keep it short; ideally, a CV should

not go beyond two pages at most. However, if your achievements are really great,

one extra page is negotiable. ii. Keep it sweet, i.e. relevant. Anything more

than that and your CV will make a beeline for the paper shredder.

 

Mistake 2: Writing too little

 

If it isn't one, it's the other. Consider this CV: 'Worked as product manager

for HLL between July 2000 and September 2003.'

 

Does it indicate anything besides the fact that the person worked for HLL?

 

Fancy designations do little to explain the kind of work you might have done.

So, in your enthusiasm to adhere to the guidelines in Mistake 1, don't forego

your job responsibilities and details about the company or the department you

worked for.

 

The above should read:

 

'Worked as product manager, between July 2000 and September 2003, for the colour

cosmetics division of HLL, a premier FMCG company in India, with a turnover of

Rs 2614.07 crore.

 

'Job responsibilities included overseeing the operations of the department

comprising 10 sales managers, setting targets for the team, keeping track of

market trends and coordinating between the production, logistics and sales

functions.

 

'Under my supervision, the department posted an annual growth of 40 percent.'

 

This gives an indication about the kind of work the applicant has done and his/

her achievement. However, beware of going overboard with the details of your job

responsibilities.

 

" One of the applicants was looking for an administrative job, and housekeeping

was one of the functions. The CV mentioned 'making sure the toilet bowls remain

clean', as one of the job responsibilities, " laughs Seth.

 

Mistake 3: Irrelevant details

 

Does it matter to your prospective employer if your eyes are blue and if you

belong to the vaishnav gotra

of the Brahmin caste?

 

Chances are it doesn't, unless you are applying for a job that depends on your

physical attributes or you are penning down a CV for matrimonial purposes.

 

Similarly, your star sign, details of family members, list of affiliations to

hobby clubs (unless they complement your profession in some way), height,

weight, colour of your hair and eyes, complexion and other details are of no

consequence to the prospective employer.

 

Ditch these and use the space to highlight your achievements, your strengths and

your qualifications. The latter needs to be to the point. For example, your

latest education and degrees are the ones that matter, not your kindergarten

marks. So, be stingy here -- include what matters, trash what doesn't.

 

" I have seen CVs that included details of grandfathers and their professions

too. One person had also included his blood group in the CV. These facts make no

difference to the employer at all, " says Seth.

 

" Some of them also add their body statistics. This can be entirely done away

with unless you are in the showbiz or airline industry.

 

" Another mistake I have noticed in many CVs is that people mention their

religion. This is unnecessary unless the job is for candidates of a specific

religion only, " says Tushar Guha, managing director of Nrityanjali, an institute

for personality development and management services.

 

Mistake 4: The information flow

 

Most people start with their birth date and list everything in chronological

order. So, if they started with ABC company at the age of 18 and are now, say,

38 years old and work for XYZ, chances are they will start their career history

with ABC and list XYZ last.

 

This is a strict no-no because,to the prospective employer, your last job

profile matters more than your first one. Few employers like to spend an hour on

a CV searching for the last position held by the applicant.

 

This applies to educational qualifications too. A CV favours reverse

chronological order. Stick to it.

 

" Most of the time, professionals writing their CV list their qualifications and

their work experience in chronological order. The order should be reversed in

order to bring the crux of the CV upfront, " says Guha.

 

Seth gives the example of a CV which started by listing work history that dated

back to 1983 first and then went on to 2004. She had a tough time looking for

the current job.

 

Hobbies should come towards the end, but shouldn't be done away with. " They

provide an insight into the applicant's personality. These days, the emphasis is

not only on your skills but also on your personality, " says Guha.

 

Mistake 5: A CV-ful of jargon

 

Is your writing style is lucidly ex-pressionistic, highlighting the hidden angst

of an existential life?

 

Wow! But what the heck does that mean? Even if your to-be-employer is Salman

Rushdie, he wouldn't want to spend time trying to understand what all those big

words and jargon add up to.

 

If you think your use of jargon indicates your knowledge of the industry, think

again. Most of the times, the CV goes first to the HR department. They are the

ones who choose if you are fit to be called for an interview.

 

Out of comprehension, out of mind. It's that basic.

 

Never take some one for granted,Hold every person Close to your Heart because

you might wake up one day and realise that you have lost a diamond while you

were too busy collecting stones. "

 

Remember this always in life.