As a professional resume writer, clients come to me to prepare their resumes for a number of reasons:

1. They've never prepared a resume before and don't know how
2. They have neither the time nor the inclination to prepare their own resume
3. They know they lack the writing and/or the computer skills to produce a professional resume
4. They've tried it themselves, they're frustrated, and have finally given up

Any one of the above is reason enough to solicit the help of a professional writer. The truth is, resume writing is NOT easy, particularly when you're writing about yourself. Nevertheless, many people struggle through trying to prepare their own resume, end up with a lacklustre final product, and wonder why they're not being called for interviews.

If you ask most recruiters or hiring professionals, most would say that the vast majority of resumes they see contain one or more fundamental mistakes. If you're committed to taking the do-it-yourself route, for which I applaud your determination, I offer you the following list of cardinal sins to avoid. Remember, you want your resume to knock their socks off, present you at your absolute best, and generate interviews. Any one of the following mistakes can kill your resume and jeopardize your career success:

1. Telling instead of SELLING!

A resume is a "marketing" document - pure and simple. Unfortunately, most people fall into the trap of merely listing experience and regurgitating job descriptions. Consider the position for which you're applying, or at least the industry, and SELL your skills and experience to that. You're not going to knock anyone's socks off if you don't sell yourself as the best candidate.

2. Out-of-date format

Resumes have changed considerably over the past 10 years, and yet many people still format their resumes like it's 1976. They use only one font throughout (Courier.ouch!), list education, list work experience, list hobbies, and call that their resume and hope that someone reading it is going to be impressed enough to invite them to interview for a $75,000 position. You owe it to yourself to go to your local bookstore and take a good look at what professional resume writers are doing.

P.S. By the way, printing your resume on fluorescent pink paper is WAY out of date - please don't do it!!

3. Lacking focus

I deal with this all the time. Clients come to me with their resumes claiming that they're not getting any response. Then, when I look at the resume, not only is it unclear what type of position they're after, sometimes I have no idea even what industry they're in! No effective resume will address any and all audiences. If you're targeting a position in sales, your resume should scream sales. If you're open to a number of industries or positions, you're better off having a few focused resumes than one generic resume. By the way, if you're including an Objective heading at the top, avoid the statement, "A challenging position offering opportunities for growth where I can utilize my skills in blah, blah, blah" - this only screams that you have no focus whatsoever!

4. Including everything, whether it's relevant or not

Remember this credo: if it doesn't add value, you don't have to include it. Hiring managers don't want to know EVERYTHING you can do, just the stuff they're looking for or would be relevant to the position or the company. And for goodness sake, please don't include personal information like age, marital status, your children's names, religious observances, square footage on your home, etc.

5. Stuck on so-called resume "rules"

You've heard the rules: "Education always comes first" and "The best resumes are only one page", etc. Hogwash! There certainly are resume guidelines, and some industries and recruiters do prefer certain styles (you owe it to yourself to find out), but nothing is written in stone. If it's clear, concise, easy to read, and sells you, then terrific.

6. Relying strictly upon resume software and templates

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for technology making our lives easier, and if you're after a basic resume - the Chevette variety that will merely get you from point A to point B - then templates and "wizards" will probably do you fine. However, even though they may boast "25 easy-to-use templates" and "over 50,000 phrases for every career", you're still getting a packaged product no matter how you slice it. No software program can capture YOU and the unique value you offer. Which kind of resume do you want driving your career - a Chevette or a Ferrari?

7. Hobbies and interests

Do you have any idea how many resumes include some variation on the phrase, "Enjoy reading, music, and travelling"? Remember the credo from mistake #4 above. What kind of value does this type of phrase add? None. The best type of hobby or interest you can include here is one that reflects on your abilities personally or would have an impact on your audience (for example, success in competitive sports can look great on a sales resume). And please, if you choose to include hobbies, including "cross-bow hunting" and "role-playing games" can work against you (those are real examples, by the way).

8. Merely regurgitating job descriptions

Have you ever read your job description? It probably makes for deadly boring reading. When you repeat the standard "Responsible for" statements in your resume, you are NOT selling yourself. Ask yourself which sounds better: "Responsible for selling widgets and increasing customer retention" or "Sold over $7.5 million in widgets and increased customer retention by 47% over previous year"? The first example merely tells what you were supposed to do, whereas the second sells the results of what you actually did!

9. Not asking for help, or getting help from the wrong places

Somewhere along the way in our careers, we all got the impression that we had to do our resumes ourselves. If you feel you need assistance, you owe it to yourself and your career to get the best assistance available. And please, consider the source of the help you're getting: the advice of your neighbour's mother, who once hired people in a factory 17 years ago, will probably do you more harm than good.

10. Poor writing ability

It's virtually impossible to hide poor writing skills, and even more difficult to effectively sell yourself if you have difficulty stringing the most basic sentences together. If your writing skills are weak, you owe it to yourself to get some assistance in preparing the resume, or at least someone to proofread and edit for you.

We all know that a fantastic resume is absolutely CRITICAL to your career success. If you can avoid the above mistakes, you're probably well on your way to creating a resume that will serve you well. Good luck!

© 2002 Ross Macpherson

About the Author

Ross Macpherson is the President of Career Quest, a Certified Professional Resume Writer, and a Career Success Coach who has helped thousands of motivated professionals advance their careers. To receive more valuable career advice, sign up to join his monthly newsletter "Career Quest Café" by visiting www.yourcareerquest.com.