Why you still need resume help
(MoneyWatch) I write a fair amount about how to improve your resume. And, invariably after I do, someone will email me and say, "This is a stupid article. Everyone knows this."
Well, everyone doesn't know this. In fact, people make the mistakes I talk about all the time. And sometimes the mistakes aren't just typos or including your high school sports teams, but putting really stupid things on a resume. For instance, here are examples from resumes collected by one friend for one job. (She wishes to remain anonymous.)
-- One lady, who was a former model and had minor roles in a few television soaps, listed that "several babies had been named after her."
-- Another woman, during an interview, mentioned that her greatest achievement was to travel to Canada when she was around eight months' pregnant to make sure that her son was born there and therefore got a Canadian passport.
-- One candidate, responding to a question on flexibility, replied that he would "bend over backwards" to perform any task that he was required to do!
-- And here's how one guy listed his "skills," typos and all:
- Language: Good in English
- Computer: Good in Windows, Office & Internet
- Active
- Can easily co operate with team work
- Work under pressure
- Good Looking
As long as these things continue to show up on resumes, I and other HR types will continue to hammer on how you can fix your resume.
5 mistakes you may be making on your resume
8 simple ways to customize your resume
How to write a resume: 6 steps to take before you start
How to write a resume: Dos and Don'ts
So don't be afraid to make changes. It is true that there are a zilion different opinions from a zillion different recruiters, HR professionals, and random people across the Internet. But if what you have been doing isn't working, it's time to make a change.
And just remember that while being good looking may actually help you get a job, you shouldn't mention it on your resume. Wait until the interview to flash that fabulous smile.
What crazy things have you seen on resumes? Leave your answer in the comments.
