Classic errors in the resume // experience icanchoose.ru
So, hundreds of resumes passed through our hands, and we know what we're talking about. A list of the most common mistakes in your resume that you need to get rid of. Bonus - a video in which we collected all our anger, all the characteristic mistakes and intelligently explained how to make the right resume.
This is not a mistake at all, but a fact! We’ll reveal a terrible secret: almost everyone who sent us a resume put a note “creative”. Although there was a choice, and it was possible to fully use the “business”, for example. What is this talking about? The fact that you, as job seekers, feel that the demands of employers are changing. Now a black and white (or even black and blue: D) resume does not suit anyone: neither you, nor HR specialists. You are a person, you can have a unique, beautiful, interesting resume in which you will bring not only information about yourself, but also emotion, your view of the world. It is wonderful. Therefore, we will proceed from the fact that we do not do ordinary resumes, but those that emphasize you and your merits. Go!
Of course, it all depends on the company and the position for which you are applying for a resume. If this is an entry-level post, then this advice will definitely have to address. Try to avoid formalities and the “Soviet” approach. It’s better not to write Ivan Ivanov, but write Ivan Ivanov. You can include a middle name when it is really necessary: for example, if you immediately apply for a leadership position in a Russian company (Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov). And yet, be more democratic, it is always welcome. If you are creating a resume in English, then mentioning the middle name is better to avoid altogether. Date of birth should be indicated, but do not focus on it.
In Russian practice, the graph is not too widespread yet, but it seems to us that this can be a rather useful innovation, a tendency that you are forming here and now. Why? Firstly, it is useful for you. The wording of the desired position is a clear understanding of your place in the structure of the company and what you are striving for. Secondly, it allows the employer to instantly orient and understand how ambitious you are, how serious you are, how educated (you’ll take a job from the ceiling, right?). This is an important, almost key aspect. However, difficulties may arise here, since the desired position does not always correspond to an open vacancy and you should be prepared for an adjustment. If you still don’t want to take risks and you would like to avoid making loud statements about yourself, then indicate the scope of your professional activity, for example, psychology, marketing, education, and so on. Immediately identify who you are. This is always helpful.
Very important graph. It should always be. Is always. In a prominent place. It can be located in the upper right corner, under your name, but not at the very bottom - no one will once again look for your contacts. What should be indicated there? You can start with the city to immediately drop all questions. We write: “Moscow”, “Serpukhov” - everything is clear, phone (preferably without a home, 21st century in the yard!), Then email, and then links to your pages on social networks. Whether you like it or not, such things have become the norm today and may even help you in your job search. Do not neglect this. Provide a link to a page on Facebook - this is considered more presentable, and then VK (you can also on Twitter, if you deem necessary). You can find out how to use the VK page to search for work with us.
We are sure that you went to school and graduated from it with dignity, but we do not advise you to indicate this. Immediately move on to higher education, if any. Do not forget the reverse chronological order: graduate, then undergraduate (the last education is always indicated first). What should be highlighted? The university that you graduated if its name says something to the employer and your specialty (How does it sound? Specialist in public relations, for example). Be sure to indicate the graduation years. If you have more than one higher education, all the same indicate all your merits. It will be immediately apparent that you are an educated person with a broad outlook. This is wonderful.
If you cannot boast of experience in one area or another and you have had many internships that did not end with a job, it is not necessary to indicate all of them. Indicate those where you really got some kind of work experience. Do not waste your time on trifles: 1.5 weeks in a company with a big name are unlikely to bring you much benefit. Describe the places where you not only wore coffee. It must be something that you really want to talk about at the interview. Even if you didn’t work for long, then for sure there is something that you DID. Please pay attention! Not “DO”, but “DO”. Write about the merits of completing the project, creating a database - everything that has a concrete result. In general, do not try to create the appearance of extensive work experience.
Very controversial ability. On the one hand, there are professions in which the use of SOME (not MS Word / PowerPoint) software packages is necessary. Proficiency in them is simply an important requirement. In this case, you must indicate that you own Microsoft Query, for example. It is necessary to emphasize this. But, if ... you just know how to make presentations, make tables, it is better to exclude this item from the resume. Understand that almost all (95%, okay) who are looking for work can send an email, can use some programs from the MS Office package. This is taught at school. This is the basic skill of any modern employee. The best ones indicate the programs that not everyone is able to use, which may not even be very much useful to you during work. If you decide to prove your PC skills, then write, for example, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, and so on. Originality is welcome.
In general, here we can only advise one thing: be honest. If you have any certificates (not even IELTS or TOEFL required) confirming your level of language proficiency, be sure to mention them. It is advisable to indicate not “fluent in”, but to write the degree as is customary in the language system: C2, for example. Do not indicate Russian, if it is obvious that this is your native language.
It will be great if you indicate which courses you attended. For example, if you took advanced training courses, mastered an important program for your position and received a certificate, passed a training on corporate culture, got acquainted with the basic concepts in psychology. Online courses, of course, will also count. Therefore, do not be lazy to require certificates - this will benefit you. Indicate only what speaks of you as a person striving for career and personal growth. You should not write about dancing, the ability to embroider a cross (for this there is a controversial section "About Me" or "Hobbies"). Yes, you yourself understand.
Refrain from photos in your resume if they do not correspond to the “business photo” format. Of course, it all depends on the company, the style of the resume, but be careful: the photo can greatly spoil the impression.
PS To prevent these unpleasant mistakes, use our resume designer , which also provides tips and tricks for its preparation, but in a more concise form.
1. Frames are not for us!
This is not a mistake at all, but a fact! We’ll reveal a terrible secret: almost everyone who sent us a resume put a note “creative”. Although there was a choice, and it was possible to fully use the “business”, for example. What is this talking about? The fact that you, as job seekers, feel that the demands of employers are changing. Now a black and white (or even black and blue: D) resume does not suit anyone: neither you, nor HR specialists. You are a person, you can have a unique, beautiful, interesting resume in which you will bring not only information about yourself, but also emotion, your view of the world. It is wonderful. Therefore, we will proceed from the fact that we do not do ordinary resumes, but those that emphasize you and your merits. Go!
2. “Soviet-style” registered name (+ date of birth)
Of course, it all depends on the company and the position for which you are applying for a resume. If this is an entry-level post, then this advice will definitely have to address. Try to avoid formalities and the “Soviet” approach. It’s better not to write Ivan Ivanov, but write Ivan Ivanov. You can include a middle name when it is really necessary: for example, if you immediately apply for a leadership position in a Russian company (Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov). And yet, be more democratic, it is always welcome. If you are creating a resume in English, then mentioning the middle name is better to avoid altogether. Date of birth should be indicated, but do not focus on it.
3. Lack of specific information about the desired position
In Russian practice, the graph is not too widespread yet, but it seems to us that this can be a rather useful innovation, a tendency that you are forming here and now. Why? Firstly, it is useful for you. The wording of the desired position is a clear understanding of your place in the structure of the company and what you are striving for. Secondly, it allows the employer to instantly orient and understand how ambitious you are, how serious you are, how educated (you’ll take a job from the ceiling, right?). This is an important, almost key aspect. However, difficulties may arise here, since the desired position does not always correspond to an open vacancy and you should be prepared for an adjustment. If you still don’t want to take risks and you would like to avoid making loud statements about yourself, then indicate the scope of your professional activity, for example, psychology, marketing, education, and so on. Immediately identify who you are. This is always helpful.
4. “Lost” contact details
Very important graph. It should always be. Is always. In a prominent place. It can be located in the upper right corner, under your name, but not at the very bottom - no one will once again look for your contacts. What should be indicated there? You can start with the city to immediately drop all questions. We write: “Moscow”, “Serpukhov” - everything is clear, phone (preferably without a home, 21st century in the yard!), Then email, and then links to your pages on social networks. Whether you like it or not, such things have become the norm today and may even help you in your job search. Do not neglect this. Provide a link to a page on Facebook - this is considered more presentable, and then VK (you can also on Twitter, if you deem necessary). You can find out how to use the VK page to search for work with us.
5. Still a schoolboy?
We are sure that you went to school and graduated from it with dignity, but we do not advise you to indicate this. Immediately move on to higher education, if any. Do not forget the reverse chronological order: graduate, then undergraduate (the last education is always indicated first). What should be highlighted? The university that you graduated if its name says something to the employer and your specialty (How does it sound? Specialist in public relations, for example). Be sure to indicate the graduation years. If you have more than one higher education, all the same indicate all your merits. It will be immediately apparent that you are an educated person with a broad outlook. This is wonderful.
6. Experience 1.5 weeks
If you cannot boast of experience in one area or another and you have had many internships that did not end with a job, it is not necessary to indicate all of them. Indicate those where you really got some kind of work experience. Do not waste your time on trifles: 1.5 weeks in a company with a big name are unlikely to bring you much benefit. Describe the places where you not only wore coffee. It must be something that you really want to talk about at the interview. Even if you didn’t work for long, then for sure there is something that you DID. Please pay attention! Not “DO”, but “DO”. Write about the merits of completing the project, creating a database - everything that has a concrete result. In general, do not try to create the appearance of extensive work experience.
7. I own the MS Office package
Very controversial ability. On the one hand, there are professions in which the use of SOME (not MS Word / PowerPoint) software packages is necessary. Proficiency in them is simply an important requirement. In this case, you must indicate that you own Microsoft Query, for example. It is necessary to emphasize this. But, if ... you just know how to make presentations, make tables, it is better to exclude this item from the resume. Understand that almost all (95%, okay) who are looking for work can send an email, can use some programs from the MS Office package. This is taught at school. This is the basic skill of any modern employee. The best ones indicate the programs that not everyone is able to use, which may not even be very much useful to you during work. If you decide to prove your PC skills, then write, for example, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, and so on. Originality is welcome.
8. Ay Speak English
In general, here we can only advise one thing: be honest. If you have any certificates (not even IELTS or TOEFL required) confirming your level of language proficiency, be sure to mention them. It is advisable to indicate not “fluent in”, but to write the degree as is customary in the language system: C2, for example. Do not indicate Russian, if it is obvious that this is your native language.
9. Cutting and sewing courses
It will be great if you indicate which courses you attended. For example, if you took advanced training courses, mastered an important program for your position and received a certificate, passed a training on corporate culture, got acquainted with the basic concepts in psychology. Online courses, of course, will also count. Therefore, do not be lazy to require certificates - this will benefit you. Indicate only what speaks of you as a person striving for career and personal growth. You should not write about dancing, the ability to embroider a cross (for this there is a controversial section "About Me" or "Hobbies"). Yes, you yourself understand.
10. Selfie
Refrain from photos in your resume if they do not correspond to the “business photo” format. Of course, it all depends on the company, the style of the resume, but be careful: the photo can greatly spoil the impression.
10.5. And here is the video for fixing the material::
PS To prevent these unpleasant mistakes, use our resume designer , which also provides tips and tricks for its preparation, but in a more concise form.