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Red Flags On Your Resume — and How To Fix Them

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Let’s face facts: Getting your dream job won’t come easy. As a matter of fact, even landing an interview can be a herculean task. You will have to face fierce competition. And ultimately, only a few applicants will be selected.

So, it is up to you to ensure that you stand out from your competitors and improve your chances of being the chosen one.

One of the most effective ways to go about this is to fix every red flag on your resume. According to experts’ comments, red flags can throw a spanner in the works, making you a less attractive applicant to any hiring manager.

Most times, job seekers solely focus on emphasizing what makes them the perfect fit for the job without paying attention to little things that matter.

Without a doubt, you may possess the expertise, qualifications, and skills required to deliver on the job. However, your chances of getting the job may disappear into thin air once a hiring manager notices any (or all) red flags on your resume.

If you don’t want your resume to be ignored or thrown into the trash can, you need to get rid of these red flags quickly before making your next submission.

As you keep reading this post, you will not only discover what these red flags are but also how you can fix them.

Before we get into details, let’s shed light on resume builders and why they are valuable for job seekers in today’s world.

Importance of Resume Builders

These days, you can create your resume using online resume builders like Resumebuilderpro. Here, you will find professionally recommended layouts and templates that are tailor-made for your desired role at any company.

Using a resume builder is undoubtedly the best way to create an effective and professional job resume without red flags, especially when you need one quickly.

If you want to make a resume that portrays you as the perfect fit for the job, you should consider using a resume builder.

All you have to do is follow a few simple steps and within a few minutes, you will get a resume void of red flags. Now, you can catch the eye of any hiring manager and tilt the odds in your favor.

Need help with your resume? Use a resume builder like Resumebuilderpro today.

In the next section, we will be showing you all the possible red flags on your resume and what you need to do to make them right.

Check it out.

10 Red Flags On Your Resume — and How To Fix Them

Below are 10 red flags that every hiring manager looks out for and what you should do to rescue the situation:

  1. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation problems
  2. Absence of keywords
  3. Excessive personal information
  4. Failure to follow instructions
  5. Lack of progress in your career
  6. Unclear job descriptions
  7. Unprofessional email addresses
  8. Inconsistency between your social media and resume
  9. Formatting challenges
  10. Failure to highlight your accomplishments

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors

We all make these mistakes every now and then when chatting, writing text messages, or emails, and they are ignored.

However, the tables turn differently when it comes to resume writing. No hiring manager will turn a blind eye to your grammar, punctuation, or spelling error.

Hence, you have to ensure you get rid of them. And you can do this by using online writing assistants like Grammarly.

Absence of keywords

Keywords are phrases or words that describe specific job requirements. They include your qualities, abilities, skills, and credentials.

These keywords help hiring managers determine if you are a good fit for a vacant position. Always make sure you insert industry-related keywords into your resume.

Excessive personal information

No hiring manager cares to know about your personal life. This is why you should only share personal information that is relevant to your resume, such as:

  • Your name
  • Phone number
  • Residential address
  • Email address
  • Personal website showcasing your portfolio, personality, and skills (if any)
  • Social media address (LinkedIn)
  • Languages known

Any personal information besides the aforementioned is considered excessive. Including them in your resume will do you no favors.

Failure to follow instructions

Most hiring managers ignore resumes without requested attachments, such as a list of references or cover letters. Failing to follow the given instructions gives the impression that you are lazy.

As they say, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Give your potential employers a good first impression. It can work wonders.

Lack of progress in your career

Every hiring manager wants the best for their company. For this reason, they only opt for applicants with an impressive career progression and proven track record.

If you can’t prove to them that you have grown in your career, you will be in a tight spot. Hence, you have to show that you are worth your weight in gold.

Unclear job descriptions

Unclear job descriptions will harm your chances of getting the job. Your resume should clearly and comprehensively state your job responsibilities, so it’s easy for your potential employers to understand.

Unprofessional email addresses

Everything about your resume must be professional, including your email address. You shouldn’t use email addresses that are funny, silly, generic, or flirtatious like hotjeans@gmail.com or thedrunkcardi@yahoo.com.

Instead, you should email addresses that give you a professional look, such as johnaudrey@domain.tld or john_wilson@businessmail.com.

Inconsistency between social media and resume

It is worth noting that hiring managers will look at your LinkedIn profile when weighing up their options to find the perfect fit for a job.

And it won’t go down well if they find contrasting information on your LinkedIn and resume. You will do well to confirm that all the information you provide on your LinkedIn and resume is consistent and verifiable. Avoid inconsistency by all means.

Formatting challenges

Submitting a poorly formatted resume could indicate a lack of seriousness or dedication on your part. But truth be told, resume formatting can be tricky.

Luckily, we have a few tricks up our sleeves you can use to format your resume effectively:

  • Left-align your resume content
  • Apply 1″ margins
  • Use easy-to-read and professional fonts like Calibri and Times New Roman
  • Use a font size between 10 and 12 points
  • Split your information into clear sections
  • Assign headers to each section
  • Use bullet points for the work experience section
  • Stick to an appropriate resume length
  • Use a consistent date format
  • Use past tenses for previous work experience
  • Avoid using 1st-person pronouns

Failure to highlight accomplishments

Want to stand out from your fierce competition? This is one of the best ways to do it, as it allows you to sell yourself to your potential employers.

Other applicants may not possess the experience in your arsenal, giving you an added advantage.

Here, the spotlight is on you. Make it count. Show them how you shined like a million stars in your previous or current role. Make yourself irresistible.

Final Words

In a nutshell, fixing, or, better still, avoiding these flags on your resume will go a long way in helping you land an interview, taking you a step closer to making your dreams come true.

So, make sure you apply this resume best practice and effective resume writing tips we have shared with you. It will amaze you how much of a difference resumes without red flags can make.

Cheers to success in your job hunt!

 

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Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

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