Can’t find your dream job? Your resume can sabotage your chances

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Research has revealed that the majority of job seekers have one or more errors on their resume. Make sure you’re not one of them.

You’ve applied for dozens of positions, researching the company, customizing your cover letter for the vacancy, and uploading your resume to their system. And then you wait for the sequel that never seems to come.

What are you doing wrong?

This may be the most basic error that sends your application to circular. And it’s one that you can easily fix.

According to a new study by Adzuna, it seems that a majority of job seekers don’t take their resumes seriously. Adzuna’s analysis of 92,989 resumes found that approximately 64% of resumes in the United States contain at least one spelling error.

Perhaps more specifically, the survey found that more than 10% of resumes contain five or more errors, including gaps in employment history, lack of a personal summary, and use of a inappropriate filename which could include something like “draft” or “untitled”.

While a typo might not seem like a deal breaker, more and more employers are relying on software and artificial intelligence tools to screen candidates. A small spelling mistake can make all the difference in whether or not you get the chance to land your dream job.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of having a well-organized and accurate resume,” says Lily Valentin, North America Operations Manager for Adzuna. “Spelling errors, inconsistent employment history and missing information are all red flags to potential employers that you have not taken the application process seriously and are not fully determined to find out more about the vacancy.

“Even in the midst of the big resignation, candidates need to do their best with recruiters to be competitive and land a lucrative role.”

sweat the little things

When it comes to your resume, the details matter. And this includes not only the content of the resume, but also the title of the resume file. An ideal CV should have a filename that includes the candidate’s last name and the word “CV”. For example: “CV of John Smith”. This will help a recruiter or hiring manager locate the document quickly and easily.

Your file format is also important. Some sites support PDF files, while others require all files to be Word documents. “A CV must be saved in the format indicated by the site to ensure that it is in no way distorted by the CV reading software that HR teams and recruiters use”, specifies Valentin.

Another common error discovered in the analysis was that around 30% of resumes contained unexplained gaps of two months or more, which could set off red flags with recruiters and employers.

“If a job seeker has a gap of more than a month on their resume,” Valentin explains, “they need to provide context for the underlying reason to help their potential or future employer better understand their situation. “.

The most common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

While writing a top-notch resume, especially for the first time, can take a lot of effort, it’s still a crucial part of the job search process. Your resume should include enough information to give a complete picture of your work history and strengths, but it should also be clear and concise.

That means it’s worth taking the time to get it right and maybe even asking for help, even if it’s just having a friend proofread your CV for obvious mistakes. .

After all, isn’t the opportunity to land your dream job worth taking a little extra time to make sure your CV is perfect? While so much has changed about how and where we work, the need for an effective CV remains the same.

Here are the most common CV red flags found by Adzuna, listed in order of frequency. If you’re having trouble getting an interview, take a second look at your resume to make sure none of these mistakes have crept in to sabotage your chances.

The Most Commonly Misspelled Words in U.S. Resumes

  1. Training
  2. Modeling
  3. Judgement
  4. Program
  5. Skill set
  6. Submission
  7. Requests
  8. Organization
  9. Behviour
  10. Honors

Top 10 Most Common Resume Mistakes in the United States

  1. Misspelled words
  2. Absence of personal summary
  3. Gaps in work history
  4. Inappropriate file name
  5. Missing or invalid mailing address
  6. CV too long or too short
  7. Invalid or omitted phone number
  8. Excessive capitalization
  9. Invalid or omitted email address
  10. British spellings (e.g. “behaviour”)

Top 5 States for Resume Spelling Errors

  1. Texas
  2. California
  3. new York
  4. Florida
  5. Pennsylvania

Whether you apply online or in person, your resume is the first impression your potential new employer has of you. Take the time to make it perfect and good luck wherever your job search takes you!

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