Articles : Ten Reasons Your Resume Won’t Get You A Job

Resume styles and trends are constantly evolving. A resume that was effective in landing you a job back in the 90’s, isn’t effective for a 2014 job search. Here are 10 reasons why your resume won’t get you a job.
 
 

1. No email address or a hotmail address. At a minimum, the contact information at the top of the resume should display a business appropriate email address.
2. Fails to include your LinkedIn url. I haven’t written a client resume without a LinkedIn url since 2008.
3. Written in the personal pronoun. A resume should be employer focused and not about you. Never use the words “I”, “me” or “my” when writing a resume.
4. Not scannable. If you’re submitting your resume via email, posting to a company website or uploading onto a job board, chances are a computer program will be reading your resume. Called Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS for short), this software scans the resume and design elements such as underlines, shading, graphics, headers and footers can impede the scanning process and often filters out any text associated with these design features. Keep it simple.
5. Lacks keywords. The ATS scan is keyword driven and focuses on eliminating 75% of the applicant pool. If your resume doesn’t include the right keywords, it will be eliminated from consideration. The HR decision maker will never see your resume.
6. Uses an “Objective” statement. An Objective statement instantly dates your resume by at least a decade. Current resumes replace the Objective statement with a Personal Brand statement.
7. Written in a functional format. There are 3 main resume formats: functional, reverse chronological and combination resume which includes a Personal Brand statement followed by career history written in a reverse chronological order. The combination style is the #1 preferred format. In a survey of hiring decision makers, a functional format was the least preferred resume style.
8. Lacks accomplishments. A resume should describe the impact you made in each role. It should not be written as a list of job duties. Quantifiable metrics engage a reader. Here are 2 examples of achievement-based statements: “Doubled sales within first year” or “Repositioned the team from last to first place surpassing revenue target by 150%”.
9. Too short, too long, too filled with mistakes. Your resume should be in a full 1, 2 or 3 page length, not 1 ¼ or 2 ⅓ pages. Too much white space is as much a disadvantage as failing to correct typing, spelling and grammar mistakes.
10. Includes actual references or the phrase “References Available Upon Request”. It is understood you will supply a list of references in a separate document when asked by the potential employer and not before.

 
I suspect you don’t use an old stationary land line as your primary means of communication so why would you still use an outdated resume to secure your next job?
 
 
Martin Buckland, President of Elite Resumes, is a leading resume writer, career coach and job search strategist with a global clientele. Martin utilizes his 17 years of expertise to work interactively with senior level clients and those who aspire to be business leaders to initiate and develop career marketing strategies during their career transitions. Martin currently holds the following certifications: Master Resume Writer, Certified Professional Branding Strategist, Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Employment Interview Professional, Job and Career Transition Coach, Certified Job Search Trainer and Co-Pilot Executive Coach.www.aneliteresume.com, email: martin@aneliteresume.com, call 905-825-0490 or toll free 866-773-7863