Common Employer Criticisms of Resumes
- Too long, short or condensed
- Poor layout and physical appearance
- Hard to understand or requires too much interpretation
- Misspellings, bad grammar and wordiness
- Poor punctuation
- Unexplained time gaps
- Lengthy phrases, sentences and paragraphs
- Critical categories missing
- Does not convey accomplishments
- Too slick, amateurish and "gimmicky"
- Text does not support objective
- Too boastful or dishonest
- Unclear objective
- Poorly typed or reproduced
- Lacks credibility and content
- Irrelevant information
- Too much jargon
Referenced From:
High Impact Resumes and Letters by Krannich & Bards
The following are some tips from a panel of human resource specialists on the topic of what employers want in a resume.
Should I bypass the Human Resource Office?
The advice to skip HR or Personnel and get your resume to a decision maker, such as the VP of Marketing or Finance has become almost a "mantra". The panel agreed that while they don't like it much, the suggestion is well founded. If a senior manager wants to hire a specific candidate, it will probably happen. But you should have your resume or application on file with the Personnel Office as well.
Should I send two resumes?
With computers reading resumes, should you send two copies - a plain one for scanning, and one more attractively formatted? The panel said "no". It creates too much paperwork for the HR department. Send only a plain version if you are not sure if a resume will be scanned. You can call a company in advance to see if they scan resumes.
Must a cover letter be attached?
Yes. Cover letters are essential. Be sure to sign it and have your name typed below the signature. (Do not staple - staples can rip the paper!).
Must you reveal salary history?
When your salary requirement is requested in a recruitment ad, what happens when you duck the issue? One strategy is to list "negotiable" or a broad ($5000) range for salary. And don't forget benefits!
What is a resume worth?
A resume is an absolutely critical tool in evaluating each potential candidate's qualifications. Recruiters search for key words and phrases, they review and evaluate accomplishments and they are critical in assessing the quality of the written document.