Have you ever submitted a resume only to realize too late that there was a resume writing error in your materials? If so, you may know all too well the consequences. Resume writing mistakes devastate job searches, according to Certified Professional Resume Writers. In fact, according to a recent survey, 84% of hiring professionals would reject a candidate who had just one or two typographical errors on their cover letter or resume.

Avoiding resume writing mistakes may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised to know that we see candidate-written resumes with errors on a daily basis. Fortunately, these devastating resume writing consequences are 100% avoidable. With close attention to detail and careful proofing of your resume writing materials, you can avoid these resume writing pitfalls.

The most important thing to do in resume writing is to proofread your resume many times over. Do not rely only on your own proofreading skills. Instead, enlist the help of others to go over your resume writing materials. Contact a career services professional, a friend in hiring or human resources, or a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). Often someone who is viewing a document for the first time will see errors that your eyes might gloss over.

When you are proofing your resume writing, remember that effective resume writing focuses on your achievements. Still, it is a mistake to itemize all of your achievements. If you flipped more burgers than any other cook, that is great and it may have landed you your next job. If that was 20 years ago, however, listing the achievement may indicate to a potential employer that you peaked 20 years ago. Employers want resume writing to answer the question: What have you done lately that fits the job?

After writing a convincing resume, you need to write a convincing cover letter. The same rules apply. Because many people send a different cover letter for each job application, however, it is often more common that mistakes show up in a cover letter than in a resume. Still, cover letter mistakes can have the same effect as resume writing mistakes – you will lose the interview.

Another common error in resume writing and cover letter writing is using a font too small to read, in an effort to get as much content as possible on a single page. If the font is too small, then people will not be interested in reading it. It also gives the appearance that the writer is disorganized and unable to prioritize his or her thoughts and incapable of selecting the most important information to highlight on the resume.

A word of caution: resume writing can take many hours. It is sometimes draining but necessary. Think about the years of effort you have put into your education, training, and career. The investment in building your resume is miniscule in comparison.

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