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Creating a good resume takes effort. It is not just about mentioning your most significant achievements but also how you present them.
Sure, it can be a simple resume with no-nonsense additions. But, there are a few things that you should avoid in a resume depending on the job role you are applying for. In other words, it is more about ensuring what not to mention in a resume than what you should.
If you have an error-filled resume, the recruiter would more likely consider discarding it even if you have a lot of accomplishments.
Similarly, when applying for jobs as a developer or an aspiring system administrator, you should take care of several things in your resume. While it is only human to make an error, going through a list of things to avoid could help you build a better resume.
So, here I shall mention some essential aspects that you should focus on.
Personal Blog / Site Link Unreachable
If you have a personal blog or portfolio website, make sure that it is well-maintained and easily accessible to everyone. Fret not; you can build a site for free using GitHub if you do not have one.
Considering you mention the site/personal blog in your resume, it must be up-to-date. If the recruiter lands on your outdated blog or cannot access it, that gives a negative impression about how you do things.
If you prefer WordPress, you may want to check out some of our recommendations ideal for your blog.
Not just limited to the accessibility of your blog, you should also make sure that the visitor gets a good user experience when accessing your website.
The quality of the user experience can make up for a good impression and should be more appealing.
Add Details to Your GitHub Profile
Contributing to open-source projects and building something of your own is a significant achievement when you are starting.
If you are passionate about development, you may want to showcase your skills and ideas through a GitHub repository.
At the same time, it is essential to make sure that your GitHub profile describes well what you do.
If you mention the GitHub profile link in your resume, you should ensure that it is up-to-date with enough details. It should reflect your regular activity and contributions when someone looks at your GitHub profile.
GitHub Repositories
Not just your personal information, but make sure that your profile lists all of your active repositories when someone checks out the link.
Without any repositories being linked to your profile activity, there is no point in mentioning the GitHub link on your profile unless you want it to look cool.
Avoid Small Fonts
While it may enable you to add more details to your resume, smaller fonts make it difficult to read.
Generally speaking, a recruiter takes a glance at your resume; if it is too much text, they will prefer to skim over it without giving it too much importance.
So, you need to make sure that when someone takes a peek at your resume, they get the essential information as clearly as possible. With a bigger font (not too big), the information in your resume should be easier to read while giving you the best chances for a recruiter to consider reading your resume.
Avoid Using Colors That Affect Readability
Similar to fonts, you should avoid using colors that affect readability.
Some examples can include light yellow, light green, bright red, and more.
In general, you should use the least number of colors that offer a stark contrast to the background, making the text visible.
Grammar Mistakes
Even if you consider yourself fluent in grammar, there can be exceptions. A typo, an accidental grammatical error, will it impact the resume?
Practically, it depends. But, technically, that’s a yes.
So, it is vital to proofread your resume and identify/correct any grammar mistakes that you can spot. It should be easier to spot grammar mistakes using online grammar checking tools like Grammarly.
Carefully Craft the Structure of the Resume
You know what you need to present, but how do you ensure it is effectively reflected through the resume?
The same information can be added to the resume in various ways. So, you will need to decide on a structure that should let a recruiter easily glance through your strong points in the correct order.
It depends on what you want the recruiter to see first, and the better you sum up all your qualities, a recruiter can quickly gauge your potential chances for the job.
Adding Too Much or Too Little Information
Keeping things simple does not mean that you lose out on details. You should add all the necessary information relevant to the job position while keeping it easy to consume.
In contrast, you wouldn’t want to add loads of unnecessary details. Overall, you want a good balance in details and the length of your resume.
Same Resume, Different Companies
When applying for a job, it is best to focus on tailoring the resume for the particular company. In a nutshell, you should have different versions of the same application.
It is best to avoid having the same resume for multiple companies.
Technically, you do not need to change a whole of things, but the order, type of relevant information, should fit more to the company you are submitting it to. It is unlikely that both the recruiters of different companies will compare your resume, but it is best to target a separate resume for another company.
How Can You Build a Perfect Resume?
Creating an impressive resume is not easy. But, there are a few resume builders that help you speed things up.
Some recommended options include:
#1. Resumonk
Resumonk provides some of the simplest and most effective resume samples and templates. You do not have to think about a structure endlessly. The samples should help you get a head start.
You can also find the cover letter templates on Resumonk. It does not require signing up to try it out for your first sample.
While it is free to get started, you need a subscription to use all the available templates and download your resume as a PDF with no watermarks.
#2. MyPerfectResume
My Perfect Resume is a popular resume builder that features numerous templates. Unlike Resumonk, you do have to sign up to download your resume.
Unfortunately, it does not offer a free plan. But, it can prove to be a cheaper and more useful alternative, considering it lets you opt for two-week access for a few dollars. In addition to creating and downloading resumes, it also includes a feature to check your resume for common errors.
Gear Up for the Next Job Application
No matter how you end up crafting your resume, it would be best to be confident about your skills and the achievements mentioned in it. While building the perfect resume may sound daunting, you should always make sure that you avoid the most common issues to increase the chances of getting the recruiter’s attention.
You can always use some available resume builders, as mentioned above.
Technically, it does not matter whether you use a premium template or built it from scratch; the quality of your resume should reflect your personality and confidence. Make sure that you comfortably craft a resume for yourself without rushing to it, and that should do the job!
Here are some more tools to create outstanding resumes.
