For many job seekers, having a job application rejected is just part of the process of job hunting.

However, it may be your resume that is unknowingly turning off recruiters and employers. 

As a recruiter, your resume is our first impression of you, so your success in the job market relies heavily on getting this important document right. 

A well-structured and succinct CV should not only demonstrate your skills and experience clearly and succinctly, but also acts as a marketing tool, promoting your personal brand to prospective employers.

Here are the most common resume mistakes we have seen by job seekers – so you can avoid making them too!

Applying for roles you are not experienced or qualified for

This is our number one reason for dismissing a job application. If this occurs, you have clearly not read the job description thoroughly. 

For example. your application will be turned away if you are a real estate receptionist with two years’ experience applying for a senior property management role requiring five plus years’ experience.

Inconsistent or vague dates

You may be surprised how often we see vague, missing or inconsistent dates of employment on resumes, which can look like you are trying to hide something. 

For example, ‘2012-2014’ could mean you have been in that role for as little as 12.5 months or a maximum of three years – a large disparity. So, when listing your previous jobs – especially if you have been in a role for less than 5 years – provide the year and the month for both start and completion dates.

Missing dates

Not explaining any absences or gaps in your employment timeline only leaves it up to the recruiter or employers’ imagination.

Make sure you address gaps such as travel, study, parental leave, redundancy, surgery, or temp/freelance work, also providing the year and the month for the start and end of these periods.

Misleading information

Recruiters use several methods to authenticate the information given on resumes. So, providing false or misleading information will be detrimental to your chances of getting the job. 

For example, if your resume does not match the information provided on your LinkedIn profile, this is an immediate red flag for recruiters.

Spelling & grammar errors

It is amazing how many resumes we receive with typos and grammar mistakes in them. One typo could be forgiven if the rest of your application is great but resumes containing multiple spelling errors and poor grammar will be rejected. 

We recommend you read and re-read your resume and get a friend to check it and provide some feedback. Submitting a resume with errors is a waste of both your time and the recruiters, so do not rush it!

Stretching the truth

Alarm bells ring when we see candidates stretching the truth on their resume. It causes us to consider what other key details may have been embellished or left out.

For example, when a candidate indicates they have three years of experience in property management on their resume and we find out in an interview that it is more like 18 months. So keep it truthful!

Extra-long resumes

Recruiters and employees see a lot of CVs, so resumes that are 10 pages long simply may not get read word for word and may reduce the effectiveness of your application. We estimate that only 50% of the resumes that we see hit the mark and concisely convey the information needed to progress in the application process. 

A concise resume of two to three pages is the ideal length, which clearly outlines your education, job history, skills and contact details in an easy-to-read format.

No achievements, just skills

Many people only list day-to-day duties they did in previous jobs, rather than describing their achievements in those roles.

As much as you can, showcase the impact you had in previous roles rather than just tasks undertaken, with results/outcomes quantified with numbers, percentages, or specific outcomes.

For example, instead of saying “managed a team,” say “managed a team of 10, increasing productivity by 20% within six months.” 

Too many buzzwords

We see many ten-dollar words used when a five-dollar word will work perfectly. Write your resume in clear, understandable language. 

For example, don't feel the need to say "utilise" instead of "use" or load up your resume with buzzwords like "proactive" and "synergy" unless they're the only words that will express your thought. 

Recruiters and hiring managers need to skim your resume in a few seconds to find out what you do, not spend hours reading it like it was a detective novel, trying to piece together the clues.

Remember - keep your resume brief, simple and easy to understand, and impress with your achievements, not with your fancy language. This is how you'll get the interview, and then your dream job.