5 Resume Mistakes You MUST Avoid (with real examples)!

Jeff Su
23 Aug 202206:41

TLDRIn this video, Jeff shares his journey from sending out cold emails to landing multiple job offers, highlighting the five major resume mistakes he made initially. He advises on the importance of work experience, showing impact, including meaningful metrics, tailoring resumes for each job application, and paying attention to small formatting details.

Takeaways

  • 📚 Start with work experience, not education, to showcase job readiness.
  • 🔍 Show impact by detailing the results of your actions in your resume.
  • 📈 Include meaningful metrics to quantify your contributions and achievements.
  • 🔧 Tailor your resume for each job application by focusing on relevant skills and keywords.
  • 👀 Pay attention to small details like formatting to make a strong first impression.
  • 💼 Networking is crucial for getting interviews; connect with alumni, recruiters, and hiring managers.
  • 📈 Use bullet points to help hiring managers visualize your ability to do the job.
  • 📚 Even if you have limited work experience, highlight any relevant skills or internships.
  • 📈 Benchmark your performance against peers or industry standards to show your value.
  • 📚 Tailoring your resume involves focusing on a few roles and using job descriptions to identify relevant skills.
  • 📚 Use tools like Grammarly or Google Docs' auto correct to catch spelling and grammar issues.

Q & A

  • What was the total number of cold emails Jeff sent out during his job application process?

    -Jeff sent out a total of 367 cold emails during his job application process.

  • How many first round interviews did Jeff receive as a result of his job application efforts?

    -Jeff received 21 first round interviews.

  • What were the two key actions Jeff took that significantly improved his interview invitations?

    -The two key actions Jeff took were networking extensively with alumni, recruiters, and hiring managers, and editing his resume based on their feedback.

  • Why is it a mistake to put the education section above the work experience section on a resume?

    -It's a mistake because recruiters and hiring managers value work experience more as it translates better to on-the-job performance, and helps them visualize the candidate's ability to do the job they're hiring for.

  • What is the importance of showing impact in the bullet points of a resume?

    -Showing impact is important because it allows the hiring manager to understand the implications of the candidate's actions and contributions, rather than just seeing a list of tasks or buzzwords.

  • Can you provide an example of how Jeff improved the bullet points on his resume to show impact?

    -In the original resume, Jeff mentioned 'assisted with project governance,' but in the updated version, he clarified the impact by stating 'the banking client successfully opened a branch in the local market.'

  • Why is it crucial to include meaningful metrics in a resume?

    -Including meaningful metrics is crucial because it quantifies the candidate's impact and effort, showing recruiters and hiring managers the tangible results of their work.

  • How did Jeff demonstrate the importance of quantifying impact even with small achievements?

    -Jeff used the example of his first internship where he wrote 'my presentation scored 23% higher than the class average,' demonstrating that he knew the success metric and benchmarked his performance against peers.

  • What is the significance of tailoring a resume for each job application?

    -Tailoring a resume for each job application is significant because it allows the candidate to align their skills and experiences with the specific job requirements, making their application more relevant and appealing to the recruiter.

  • What is the mistake Jeff admits to making regarding the small details on his resume?

    -Jeff admits to overlooking small details such as inconsistent formatting, which can create a negative first impression and may be seen as a red flag by recruiters and hiring managers.

  • What is Jeff's advice for catching small mistakes on a resume?

    -Jeff suggests sending the resume to multiple people for feedback or using tools like Grammarly or Google Docs' auto correct to catch and correct small mistakes.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Overcoming Job Application Challenges

In this paragraph, the speaker shares their personal experience with job applications, highlighting the importance of networking and resume editing based on feedback. They reveal that despite sending out 367 cold emails, it was only after networking and refining their resume that they secured 21 interviews and 5 job offers. The speaker then introduces the video's agenda, which includes discussing common resume mistakes and the changes that led to their successful interviews. The speaker, Jeff, also provides a humorous touch by inviting viewers to stay for job search memes, setting a friendly and engaging tone for the video.

05:02

📝 Common Resume Mistakes and Solutions

This paragraph delves into the five major resume mistakes that the speaker made during their initial job search and the subsequent improvements that led to success. The first mistake discussed is prioritizing the education section over work experience, which is deemed less relevant by recruiters. The speaker emphasizes the importance of showcasing work experience to demonstrate job-related skills. The second mistake is the lack of impact in the resume's bullet points, which are improved by including tangible results. The third mistake involves the absence of meaningful metrics, which can be addressed by quantifying contributions, even if the numbers are small. The fourth mistake is not tailoring the resume for each job application, which the speaker advises against by recommending a focus on a few roles and using job descriptions to identify relevant skills. The final mistake is overlooking small formatting errors, which can negatively impact first impressions. The speaker suggests seeking feedback from others or using tools like Grammarly to catch such errors.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Resume Mistakes

Resume Mistakes refer to common errors made by job applicants when crafting their resumes. In the video, the speaker identifies and explains five major mistakes that can hinder a candidate's chances of securing an interview. These mistakes are crucial to understand as they directly impact how a resume is perceived by recruiters and hiring managers.

💡Networking

Networking is the process of building and maintaining professional relationships. In the context of the video, it is highlighted as a key strategy that helped the speaker receive interviews. Networking with alumni, recruiters, and hiring managers can provide valuable feedback and opportunities that are not accessible through traditional job application methods.

💡Work Experience

Work Experience is the section of a resume that details a candidate's professional history, including internships, jobs, and relevant projects. The speaker emphasizes the importance of placing this section above the education section in a resume, as it better demonstrates a candidate's ability to perform the job they are applying for.

💡Impact

Impact refers to the tangible results or effects of one's work. The video stresses the need to show impact in a resume by quantifying achievements and demonstrating how one's contributions led to specific outcomes. This helps recruiters understand the value a candidate can bring to a role.

💡Metrics

Metrics are numerical data used to measure performance or effectiveness. In the video, the speaker advises including meaningful metrics in a resume to quantify one's impact and achievements. This can help demonstrate a candidate's skills and accomplishments in a more concrete way.

💡Tailoring Resume

Tailoring a resume means customizing it to fit the specific requirements and keywords of a job description. The video suggests that a tailored resume is more likely to resonate with recruiters, as it shows that the candidate has taken the time to understand and align with the job's needs.

💡First Round Interviews

First Round Interviews are the initial interviews conducted by employers to screen candidates. The video discusses how making certain resume mistakes can affect a candidate's chances of being invited for a first round interview, highlighting the importance of a well-crafted resume in the job application process.

💡Bullet Points

Bullet Points are concise statements used in resumes to list a candidate's skills, achievements, and responsibilities. The speaker in the video uses bullet points to illustrate how to effectively communicate one's work experience and impact, making them a crucial element in a resume.

💡Formatting

Formatting refers to the arrangement and presentation of text and other elements in a document. The video points out that even small formatting errors can create a negative impression on recruiters, emphasizing the importance of attention to detail in resume presentation.

💡Feedback

Feedback is the process of receiving comments or suggestions on one's work. In the context of the video, the speaker mentions the value of getting feedback on a resume from others, such as peers or professionals, to identify and correct potential issues before submitting it to potential employers.

💡Cover Letter

A Cover Letter is a document sent with a job application that outlines the candidate's interest in the job and highlights their qualifications. The video briefly mentions the importance of writing an effective cover letter in conjunction with a well-prepared resume to maximize the chances of securing an interview.

Highlights

The importance of networking and editing your resume based on feedback to secure interviews and job offers.

Avoid placing the education section above work experience on your resume to better convey job-relevant skills.

The significance of work experience over academic achievements in demonstrating on-the-job performance.

How bullet points on a resume can help visualize a candidate's ability to perform the job.

The mistake of not showing impact in your resume and how it can lead to a missed opportunity.

Revealing the result of your contributions in your resume to differentiate between buzzwords and actual accomplishments.

The value of including meaningful metrics in your resume to quantify your impact.

How to show metrics even when you're new or lack impressive data points from your experience.

The effort in quantifying impact is more important than the actual numbers to recruiters and hiring managers.

Tailoring your resume for each job application to increase the chances of standing out.

The misconception of applying to many jobs with a single resume and the benefits of focusing on quality over quantity.

Using job descriptions and a word cloud generator to identify relevant skills for tailoring your resume.

The difference between maintaining a general LinkedIn profile and a hyper-targeted resume for each application.

Overlooking small formatting errors can negatively impact the first impression of your resume.

The importance of first impressions and how easily avoidable errors can be a red flag for employers.

Utilizing tools like Grammarly or Google Docs' auto correct to catch and correct small mistakes.

The suggestion to seek feedback from others on your resume to ensure it is polished and error-free.

A reminder to watch a follow-up video on writing an effective cover letter to maximize interview opportunities.