A glaring typo or misspelling in your resume could be a major turnoff for the hiring manager. It shows that you’re not careful and don’t care enough about your application materials.
Using too many big words or long paragraphs can also be a turnoff. Your executive resume should be concise and clear.
1. Using the Wrong Tense
Harkening back to high school English class, a mix of tenses on your resume can confuse hiring managers. Past tense is the safest choice, but you may need to write some accomplishments in the present tense (such as ongoing projects or activities). If you do not know where to find resume examples, search the top-rated resume sites.
For other duties and accomplishments, use the past tense for anything that has already happened (i.e., “Enhanced customer satisfaction by 25 percent”). Using the present tense in these cases will come across as unprofessional.
2. Using Long Paragraphs
An executive resume should be concise and easy to read. Lengthy paragraphs, cluttered words, inconsistent spacing and fancy fonts can make it difficult for hiring managers to skim or read.
Instead of merely listing your responsibilities, provide front-loaded results sentences that illustrate how you’ve delivered on the company’s goals and expectations. Include hard metrics like 55% improved efficiency in a new system or a 300% increase in net profit.
Be sure to tailor your resume for each job you apply for. Sending out generic resumes will quickly get yours tossed out of the running by both ATS and human recruiters. To learn more visit this url: https://clayburnettgroup.com/
3. Using Too Many Bullet Points
Using too many bullet points is a common mistake that can make your resume look bloated. You want your bullet list to highlight accomplishments and skills that are relevant to the role you’re applying for. For example, if you worked as a consultant in the past, focus on how you turned your clients’ businesses around and what you accomplished for those companies. Use numbers and percentages, if possible, to give your bullets more impact.
For instance, you could say something like, “Sharpened sales skills to improve company revenues by 32%.” It’s important to quantify your achievements to stand out from the competition.
4. Using the Wrong Homophones
While it might have been a while since your high school English class, grammar mistakes can be disastrous on an executive-level resume. These errors can make it look as if you lack attention to detail, which is a huge red flag for any hiring manager.
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings (e.g. their/there/they’re). While spell-check can catch some of these errors, it may not pick up on all of them.
5. Using the Wrong Format
The right format is critical for an executive resume. It should be clean and organized so that it’s easy for hiring managers to read and understand. A sloppy format can leave the impression that you lack attention to detail and competence in your job.
Avoid using a pure chronological format because it doesn’t highlight your skills and accomplishments. Instead, create a summary of your experience that highlights the most important aspects of your career.
Remember that your goal is to convince the employer that you can meet the company’s needs. Use specific examples to show how you’ll add value, such as transforming a 10% sales decline into a 32% increase in just 15 months.
6. Using the Wrong Keywords
Using the wrong keywords in your resume is a big mistake. Although it may help pass the ATS, it will turn off human recruiters.
Choosing the right keywords can make or break your executive-level resume. Use them strategically to showcase your core proficiencies, not just to appease the ATS.
Don’t include skills that are obvious, like “Photoshop” or “Singing.” Instead, focus on the ones that can differentiate you from other candidates, such as leadership, strategy, revenue growth, market positioning and efficiency. Also, remember to use them throughout your document, not just in the summary and experience sections.