The resume is probably the hardest thing to nail down during the job search. Why? Well, your resume is a reflection of you and your work experience. If it’s not presented in the right way, you may not have a chance.
The problem with most resumes is that they are outdated, especially if you haven’t had to look for a job in a while. The rules of five years ago may not apply today. So what works and what doesn’t? It may depend on your industry, but here are three common mistakes and how to fix them:
List what you accomplished, not your duties. What did you do in your past jobs to make a difference? Did you gain five clients in one year? Did you raise website traffic by two percent? How about creating advertisements that lead to conversions? Potential employers don’t want to know your day-to-day duties. They want to know what you did to move your organization from point A to point B. If possible, list your accomplishments quantifiably. For example, you may have increased total revenue by five percent based on marketing efforts. Be sure to highlight this because potential employers want to know what you can do for them.
Objectives are out. If you still have an objective on the top of your resume, do everyone a favor and delete it right now. It’s an outdated practice that most hiring managers will see as old fashioned. You are obviously applying for the position because you are interested in improving your skill set and advancing your career in the industry, so you do not need to state that on top of your resume.
Instead of an objective, why not list the link to your LinkedIn profile? Your LinkedIn profile can be used as an extension of your resume. Use platforms like this to discuss what kind of candidate you are, as well as what you can bring to the table based on your experiences. Apart from being better than an outdated objective, a LinkedIn profile can be used to list what you can’t on your resume, like actual samples of your work.
Don’t put ordinary skills. In every industry, it’s pretty much a given that most people know how to use PowerPoint, or can operate on both PC and Mac operating systems. These are not unique skills. Speaking fluent German is a unique skill. Extensive knowledge of web design and CSS is a unique skill. Whatever sets you apart from the crowd is going to benefit you. Hiring managers and recruiters want to see what you can do to improve the function of the organization, not what you have in common with the hundreds of other applicants. For example, if you’ve used a specialized software that’s known in your industry, you should put it since it’s likely the hiring manger is not only aware of the program, but also aware of the skill set needed to operate it.
What are some other things that makes a resume outdated?
Guest Expert:
James Alexander is Vizibility’s founder and CEO. He’s the guy with two first names. If you ‘Googled’ his name in 2009, you would never have found him. Now, he ranks within the first few results of a Google search. Find James in Google at vizibility.com/james.
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Margaret Buj 
Dorothy Tannahill-Moran 
Harry Urschel 
Somewhat insightful piece, but it’s sad how inhuman and unpersonalized the job search/recruiting market has become today.
Rules of five years ago becoming outdated.. some people don’t like Linked In, some people don’t have the resources for these specialized software classes. But, worse off, is how HR managers think that now it’s “creepy” if someone shows initiative and determination by presenting their resume in person.
I guess it’s easier to hit delete than actually speak to an applicant face-to-face, eh?
James, thanks for sharing these tips. A lot of people forget to keep their resume current. Even if you’re not actively seeking a job right now, you should still have an updated version of your resume. You never know when you may need it! Rewording your resume or changing around the layout is another way to switch it up and have a fresh twist on your old version. Great advice!
James,
I don’t know that I agree with your view on the objective. I believe that it all depends on how a person is applying for a position. If a person is applying to a position via a company job board, often times the position number is tied to the application so an objective isn’t necessary. However, if a person is “blindly” sending in their resume for consideration to a particular person or if they are driven enough to “just stop by” then I see the merit for the objective (especially if their work experience or degree doesn’t lead to an obvious career path). I am a strong believer in the Summary (3-4 power sentences summarizing ones past work and future aspirations).
If Objectives are deemed as outdated by both recruiters and employers, it does not matter what content one puts into them. Sadly, the job objective will be prejudged before it is even read. With the vast amount of people competing for the same job, it is probably a wiser choice to make a good first impression by using a Career Summary instead of an Objective.
In the past, job objectives have always made a poor impression by focusing on the needs of the job seeker instead of the employer’s needs. Employers and Recruiters grow weary from reading the same tired job objectives that tell them that job candidates are seeking rewarding positions with growth opportunities. A better job objective will present 3 important points: the name of the position that one is applying for (so they don’t have to guess), a couple of key skills that directly relate to the specific open position (it will catch their attention) and lastly, the value a job seeker will have for the company. The value demonstrates what will the company gain if they hire the job candidate. The most impressive will be those that express that hiring them will save/make money and/or time. Businesses exist to make a profit and if a job candidate can contribute to profits in some way, they will be seen as valuable and considered an investment that will be hard to ignore.