1. Review, review and review again
Here are some of the most common errors we need to correct when we get a resume (yes we format and review all the resumes before we send them out)
- Spelling mistakes
- Grammatical errors
- Inconsistent punctuation
- Formatting inconsistencies
- Messy formatting
- Strange colour combinations
2. Use reverse chronological order
Employers are not going to hire you for the job you were doing 20 years ago, they’re clearly going to be most interested in your current/last job so that information should come first on your resume.
3. First impressions
You may be the greatest employee on earth but the only reference an employer will have is your resume. Make sure you create a lasting first impression.
4. Formatting and white spaces
Indentation, italics, underline and bold formatting need to be used tastefully. Whatever formatting you decide to use, make sure the document is easy to read, don’t fill it with a lot of dense text. Key information should be highlighted such as the companies you’ve worked at, your job title etc. At Ascent Global Partners we keep our standard resume format very simple. For instance, we don’t use italics or anything other than black font. We tend to use mainly bullet points and bold fonts.
5. Do not use images
At Ascent Global Partners we are not keen on pictures, embedded tables or anything else that might clutter your resume. If a recruitment firm has to format your resume and there is a lot of strange formatting, this becomes a tiresome and troublesome task.
6. Be Consistent
If you’re going to using full stops, use full stops everywhere. If you’re going to use italics in a certain section, use italics throughout the entire document in a very consistent manner.
7. Use Adobe PDF rather than Microsoft Word
Your PDF resume can’t be altered as easily as a Microsoft Word document, especially if you use some of the security settings. In addition, it will look exactly how you intend it to look if the resume is saved as a PDF. At Ascent Global Partners we only send out resumes that are in PDF format.
8. Online Profile
Provide a URL to your online profile. Linkedin for instance is fine but we would also recommend a viewable/downloadable PDF.
9. Use one phone number and one email address
It’s easier to control and manage the ways which a potential employer is going to contact you if you have a single phone number and email address which you’ve provided on your resume.
10. Be concise
Get rid of fluffy language. Keep your resume straightforward and most importantly, as short as you can by leaving out redundant information.
11. Missing important information
Discover the cure for cancer and forgot to include it in your resume? You’d be surprised, some people forget to include their crowning achievements. As discussed above “review, review and review again”.
12. Tailor your resume for the job you’re applying to
Employers often seek specific keywords in a resume which match the job description. Sit down, look through the job description and tailor your resume so that it highlights the skills that the job description is asking for (if you have them of course!).
13. Do not say “references upon request”
This statement is redundant and if an employers policy is to ask for references, they’re going to ask you for references. Don’t waste space on your resume, every line is crucial.
