If you’ve put a lot of time and effort into crafting your resume, not hearing back from countless applications can become disheartening.
By now, we know all of the common mistakes that are likely to see your resume overlooked. For example, spelling and grammatical errors, poor formatting, or overused clichés will see your application rejected quicker than you can say ‘hardworking and dynamic professional’.
But did you know that there are also some more unusual resume blunders that could be costing you the interview as well?
By getting to grips with the following mistakes, you can eliminate these lesser-known errors from your next application and increase your chances of being invited in for an interview.
Using an unprofessional email address
Your email address occupies just a small space at the top of your resume, and yet the effect it has on how you are perceived by employers is huge. This is even more true when you’re applying for senior roles, where perception and reputation are vital.
If you have a quirky email address that you've had since you were a teenager, it’s best not to give this pride of place on the top of your resume, as it will look unprofessional and can show a lack of attention to detail.
So, if your email reads something like ‘TopGolfer99@gmail.com’, it’s best to create an entirely new email address for your job hunt.
In most cases, it’s best to simply claim an address using your name, or a close variation of your name if it has already been taken. For example "SteveJones1968@gmail.com"
It’s also important that you don’t use an email address connected to your existing job, especially if you are trying to keep your job search discrete.
A bad file name
You’ve spent hours crafting your resume, and the final stage is to hit save and submit your application. But too many professionals fall at this final hurdle.
It’s important to remember that the filename will be visible to recruiters when you attach your resume to an email or application, so it must look professional.
It must also be clearly labeled, so the hiring manager knows whose resume they are handling, and they can quickly find your resume when searching their database.
Saving your resume with a name like ‘My resume - draft 3 - FS job’ does not give the best impression. Firstly, it looks clumsy. Secondly, it might also give away that you’re applying to multiple roles at once. Although you are perfectly within your right to do this, it can show you’re less dedicated to their specific company and position.
Although it might not always be a dealbreaker, a bad file name can look unprofessional and could see your resume rejected before it’s even been opened.
Some of these lesser known resume mistakes can be just as costly as the common ones
Making unproven claims
It's vital that your resume includes impressive facts and figures that showcase your achievements. However, you need to make sure that any claims you make are substantiated and that you can always offer proof.
This doesn't just mean being able to back up your facts and figures. It also means that if you refer to an organization as an 'industry leader' or to yourself as 'the number one marketer', that you can back it up.
Of course, recruiters might not examine every tiny detail on your resume, but if they do look into it and find out you're making false claims, it could potentially cost you the job. So instead, stick to hard facts that you know you can prove.
Including salary expectations
You want to get the most from your job offer. Of course, you do. But including your salary expectations or history on your resume can be a major red flag to hiring managers.
If you set the bar too low, you'll short-change yourself, and if you set the bar too high, your resume might end up on the rejection pile. Not to mention you can harm your negotiation power further down the line.
Plus, talking about money too prematurely can imply that you're only interested in the job for the money and not because you're genuinely passionate about the company or position.
So, unless a job advert specifically asks you to include your salary expectations, it's best to leave this off.
Stuffing your content with keywords
Including relevant keywords on your resume is important, so don't neglect this. However, over-stuffing your application with keywords can quickly backfire. It means that your resume won't read naturally and can look clumsy and confusing.
It's always important to write your resume with the recruiter at the forefront of your mind. It needs to be persuasive, read well, and be written for real people, not just for ATS scanners, so you need to get the balance just right.
Although they may seem smaller, these unusual mistakes can be just as detrimental to your resume as the larger, more common errors. Therefore, it is important to keep these in mind when writing your application and check your resume thoroughly before you hit send.
