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	Career Pointers Archives Top 10 Reasons Why Resumes Suck Stand out from the crowd. That’s what a good resume will help you do. Unfortunately, most resumes suck at this. Maybe, if you’re honest with yourself, it’s time for a no-holds-barred, critical review of your current resume. Especially if one or more of the following Top 10 Reasons applies: 1. The resume has no objective. If you can’t articulate what it is you’re looking for, specifically, you’re leaving it up to the junior HR clerk, who gets stuck with the screening process, to decide for you. 2. If there is an objective, it’s usually a self-serving one (I’m looking for a great job, with fabulous benefits, interesting challenges, and opportunities for rapid advancement). Who cares what you want? 3. It’s all about what you’ve done for other companies. Frankly - no-one gives a hoot about that; they want to know ‘What Can You Do For Me?’ 4. TMI - Too Much Information. Contrary to popular belief, it is not good practice to list everything and the kitchen sink. You’re just providing ammunition to the screener to say ‘yeah, well, we don’t need that’ 5. NEI - Not Enough Information. Not about what you’ve done before (see #3) but about Who You Are. Generic resumes are also utterly boring, and completely devoid of any personality. 6. Orphaned Achievements: If the resumes even list achievements, they do so without specifying your actual role and contribution, how they were achieved, or what the results were. 7. Confuse ‘skills’ with ‘tools’. Skills are things you can do (for them); tools are things you use to get results. And telling people you can use The Internet, and Word and Excel, these days, is like telling people you know how to use a rotary dial phone ... 8. Excessive Use of Buzz-Words. ‘dynamic leader’, ‘people person’, ‘problem-solver’, ‘results-oriented’, ‘self-starter’ --- C’mon people! Let’s try and be a bit more original here; surely you can come up with better words to present yourself? Define your strengths, and articulate them creatively - that should get you noticed. 9. Contain the phrase ‘References are available on request’. Well, duh. That’s kind of like kicking in an open door, isn’t it? Leave it off; it’s understood. 10. List hobbies, personal interests, and volunteer activities indiscriminately. Don’t include any of these, unless there is a direct connection to the job you’re applying for; if you’re applying as Executive Director of a non-profit foundation, then, by all means, let them know that you have successfully raised thousands of dollars for your kid’s soccer team. Otherwise - skip it. This list could probably be expanded - up to 20, or 30 reasons ... but I think I’ve made my point. If you want to do something about your resume, and increase your chances of getting the job you want - contact me. It doesn’t matter where in the world you are; I have worked as a career consultant in Europe and North America - and a good resume is a good resume, regardless of where you are. What’s to lose? Last updated on Sep 13, 2010 at 10:00 AM Category: Career Marketing Career Strategies Resume Development 4 comments \| Leave a comment (must be logged in) Comments: My favourite Emma posting so far—I love it when you tell it like it is. Of course my resume is boss or I’d be busting down your door to get this essential service for free!! By cyberscribe on 2009 09 15 Comments: Something truly written..you just need to be very original and yet impressive in your resume. By phonelines on 2011 12 18 Comments: I agree with all the 10 points but its the general structure of resume we all use, i have been searching for the sample resumes over the internet, i got few and all of them where a bit similar to this. I am totally confused which section to include and which to skip. It would be so kind of you if you can provide a perfect sample or structure of an Resume please. By chrisbowie86 on 2012 01 14 Comments: As a Fresher This points are very helpful to me to create my Resume more presentable!! By dorisklira on 2012 01 24 Page 1 of 1 pages Comment Entry: Remember my personal information Notify me of follow-up comments? Please enter the word you see in the image below:	Resource Topics & Types Career Marketing Career Strategies Interview Strategies Negotiating Worth Resume Development Book Reviews Articles/PDFs White Papers & Presentations Recent Entries How Internal PR May Save Your Job Be specific, be very specific That's right: 6 out of every 10 jobs were never advertised ... so how do people find them? Top 10 Reasons Why Resumes Suck Don't want to be a manager? Good! Management doesn't think you can be, anyway Do you know how much you're worth? Getting noticed is now 5 times harder Recruiters: Useful? Or Not? 22 Tips: How To Nail A Job Interview Overqualified yesterday; underqualified today?
© 2008 E. Hamer Associates, Ltd. Home \| Contact \| Privacy \| Legal

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About us People Philosophy Partners Company & Goals News Contact Career Strategies Career pointers Success stories Ask an expert Career coaching Leadership development Executive & business coaching Assessments & evaluations Promotional Offer Fees Corporate Solutions Performance pointers Case studies Human performance management Organizational & team development Instructional design & training Assessments & evaluations Promotional Offer Promotional Offer Consulting rates Resources Career resources Corporate resources White Papers Presentation downloads Members area Log in Register
	Career Pointers Archives Top 10 Reasons Why Resumes Suck Stand out from the crowd. That’s what a good resume will help you do. Unfortunately, most resumes suck at this. Maybe, if you’re honest with yourself, it’s time for a no-holds-barred, critical review of your current resume. Especially if one or more of the following Top 10 Reasons applies: 1. The resume has no objective. If you can’t articulate what it is you’re looking for, specifically, you’re leaving it up to the junior HR clerk, who gets stuck with the screening process, to decide for you. 2. If there is an objective, it’s usually a self-serving one (I’m looking for a great job, with fabulous benefits, interesting challenges, and opportunities for rapid advancement). Who cares what you want? 3. It’s all about what you’ve done for other companies. Frankly - no-one gives a hoot about that; they want to know ‘What Can You Do For Me?’ 4. TMI - Too Much Information. Contrary to popular belief, it is not good practice to list everything and the kitchen sink. You’re just providing ammunition to the screener to say ‘yeah, well, we don’t need that’ 5. NEI - Not Enough Information. Not about what you’ve done before (see #3) but about Who You Are. Generic resumes are also utterly boring, and completely devoid of any personality. 6. Orphaned Achievements: If the resumes even list achievements, they do so without specifying your actual role and contribution, how they were achieved, or what the results were. 7. Confuse ‘skills’ with ‘tools’. Skills are things you can do (for them); tools are things you use to get results. And telling people you can use The Internet, and Word and Excel, these days, is like telling people you know how to use a rotary dial phone ... 8. Excessive Use of Buzz-Words. ‘dynamic leader’, ‘people person’, ‘problem-solver’, ‘results-oriented’, ‘self-starter’ --- C’mon people! Let’s try and be a bit more original here; surely you can come up with better words to present yourself? Define your strengths, and articulate them creatively - that should get you noticed. 9. Contain the phrase ‘References are available on request’. Well, duh. That’s kind of like kicking in an open door, isn’t it? Leave it off; it’s understood. 10. List hobbies, personal interests, and volunteer activities indiscriminately. Don’t include any of these, unless there is a direct connection to the job you’re applying for; if you’re applying as Executive Director of a non-profit foundation, then, by all means, let them know that you have successfully raised thousands of dollars for your kid’s soccer team. Otherwise - skip it. This list could probably be expanded - up to 20, or 30 reasons ... but I think I’ve made my point. If you want to do something about your resume, and increase your chances of getting the job you want - contact me. It doesn’t matter where in the world you are; I have worked as a career consultant in Europe and North America - and a good resume is a good resume, regardless of where you are. What’s to lose? Last updated on Sep 13, 2010 at 10:00 AM Category: Career Marketing Career Strategies Resume Development 4 comments \| Leave a comment (must be logged in) Comments: My favourite Emma posting so far—I love it when you tell it like it is. Of course my resume is boss or I’d be busting down your door to get this essential service for free!! By cyberscribe on 2009 09 15 Comments: Something truly written..you just need to be very original and yet impressive in your resume. By phonelines on 2011 12 18 Comments: I agree with all the 10 points but its the general structure of resume we all use, i have been searching for the sample resumes over the internet, i got few and all of them where a bit similar to this. I am totally confused which section to include and which to skip. It would be so kind of you if you can provide a perfect sample or structure of an Resume please. By chrisbowie86 on 2012 01 14 Comments: As a Fresher This points are very helpful to me to create my Resume more presentable!! By dorisklira on 2012 01 24 Page 1 of 1 pages Comment Entry: Remember my personal information Notify me of follow-up comments? Please enter the word you see in the image below:	Resource Topics & Types Career Marketing Career Strategies Interview Strategies Negotiating Worth Resume Development Book Reviews Articles/PDFs White Papers & Presentations Recent Entries How Internal PR May Save Your Job Be specific, be very specific That's right: 6 out of every 10 jobs were never advertised ... so how do people find them? Top 10 Reasons Why Resumes Suck Don't want to be a manager? Good! Management doesn't think you can be, anyway Do you know how much you're worth? Getting noticed is now 5 times harder Recruiters: Useful? Or Not? 22 Tips: How To Nail A Job Interview Overqualified yesterday; underqualified today?
© 2008 E. Hamer Associates, Ltd. Home \| Contact \| Privacy \| Legal