How long do you think a recruiter looks at your resume before deciding if it’s worth it or not?

 

A minute? 30 seconds?

 

The Ladder reported that an average reporter concludes a resume is bad or good enough in just 7.4 seconds! 

Having interviewed tons of recruiters and being recruiters ourselves, we think that number is pretty accurate.

Little, avoidable errors could be holding you back from your dream job because they usually convey a lack of effort or attention. Definitely not the best first impression. 

So, how do you ensure your resume passes the eye-test and makes an outstanding first impression while a recruiter narrows down a stack or resumes? 

Well, we’ve highlighted seven common mistakes that are probably ruining your chances of landing an interview and explained how you can avoid these mistakes.

So, next time you’re looking to apply for that role, run your resume through our checklist to have an interview-worthy resume and watch how this changes the game…

1. Failure to Tailor Your Content

A cardinal resume sin that ruins your chances from the get-go. 

Your resume should never be a one-size-fits-all document. Tailoring your resume to the specific job you’re applying for is crucial. Avoid sending out the same resume to every company, as different roles require different skills and experiences, and that means you have to emphasize different skills in different applications. Highlight the qualifications that align with the job description to show that you’re the perfect fit.

Also, many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes before they even reach human eyes. Tailoring your resume to specific applications helps you incorporate relevant keywords from the job listing and, as such, helps you beat the ATS. That way, your resume has a chance to be judged by a human. 

2. Typos!

Omitting a word here, and misspelling another may not seem like much, but what information does that convey?

It could come off as a lack of effort or attention to detail which is usually a crucial skill in most tech roles. More so, it could confuse the recruiter and since they’re in such great haste to make it down the like of resumes, they may just as well ditch yours.

You definitely don’t want that.

So, here’s what you should do… 

After writing your resume, it’s best to wait a few days (if you can afford to), then print out the resume and read it aloud. 

Don’t skim. Read every word. Slowly.

Look out for errors in spellings, grammar, punctuations and omission. 

You may be surprised at just how many errors you catch. More importantly, this simple exercise may be the reason you land an interview. 

3. Writing in First-Person

It’s generally considered more professional to write your entire resume in third-person. Cut out the “I did X, or I am a motivated Y”, and save those for your cover letter. 

Third-person works because it helps minimize words and keeps your resume as streamlined as possible.

 

4. Incorrect Use of Words

English words can get pretty tricky. Certain words are commonly confused and wrongly interchanged, even by native English speakers. 

Non-native speaker? Safe to say you have a higher chance of falling to these errors, unless you take extra care… While this is not a testament to your ability or tech talent, it may ruin your chances of getting a job that lets you do what you love in the best environment. 

So, look out for them. 

For clarity, here are examples of commonly confused words with sentences relevant to resume writing:

• Accept and Except: The company will accept applications until Friday, except for those submitted without a cover letter.
• Compliment and Complement: Her leadership skills complement her team’s strengths, and she received a compliment for her collaborative approach.
• Peek and Peak and Pique: Taking a quick peek at the job market’s peak opportunities piqued my interest in updating my resume.
• Discreet and Discrete: His discreet handling of confidential information showed his discrete approach to managing sensitive data.
• Elicit and illicit: The candidate’s impressive achievements in the previous role helped elicit positive feedback, unlike the illicit claims on another applicant’s resume.
• Farther and Further: I’d like to discuss my professional growth further during the interview, especially how I can contribute to taking the company farther and closer to overall success.
• Imply and Infer: The job description implies a need for strong analytical skills, and I can infer from my experience that I meet this requirement.
• Precede and Proceed: Please allow my resume to precede our meeting, so we can proceed with a meaningful discussion.
• Breathe and Breath: As I prepare for the interview, I take a deep breath and remind myself to breathe naturally to stay calm and composed.

Others are: Your and You’re, Principal and Principle, etc. For additional guidance on avoiding these commonly misused words and phrases in your resume, you may find resources like the guide from Columbia Law School beneficial.

 

5. Buzzword and Clichès 

Everybody and their mothers use words like “passionate” and “result-oriented” in their resume, but this shouldn’t be the center of things.

Your resume should tell a story, and your experiences, accomplishments and metrics should do all the talking.

If your professional summary, and every other bullet point is a generic mess of clichèd with lots of telling and no showing, recruiters will dump your resume like a hot potato. 

Cut out sentences that read like:

“I’m a passionate, excellent and goal-oriented scrum master with 10 years of experience and proven track record of bla bla…”

Reword to something like: “Facilitated Agile adoption and scrum events that led to 35% increase in team productivity, and 25% decrease in project delivery time…”

6. Inconsistent Formatting 

Line spacing, fonts, and font size.

All three should be consistent across headings and body text. In Microsoft Word, you can easily choose separate styles for headings, subheadings, bullet points, and body text. This guarantees consistency across board and consequently improves readability.

7. Writing too much

You must have heard that it’s best to fit your resume within a page. 

At Resume Pro Now, we don’t think so. We understand there’s no one size fits all resume length. 

But yes, a resume can be too long, and that could be a turn off for recruiters.

Focus on experiences relevant to the role and a few strong bullet points with metrics and KPIs that show recruiters what you’ve done in the past and help them conclude you’re the perfect fit for the role. 

Conclusion

Crafting a winning tech resume requires careful attention to detail and a focus on customization. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll position yourself as the perfect  candidate for the job and then watch your phone buzz with interviews and offers. Your next problem may then be how to ace an interview.

And we have a solution for you in advance.

How to breeze through a tech interview