As much as I advocate resumes that are detailed, targeted, and professionally formatted, sometimes I find myself cautioning job seekers against resumes that are too detailed, too targeted, and overdesigned.
One mistake is to give equal detail to jobs that are directly relate to your career goals and those that have no relation at all. For example, with the recent ups and downs in the job market, some people have temporarily taken positions out of their main field of interest. To return to their preferred field, they may want a resume that contains a “Career Highlights” or “Major Achievements” section before the job history. They may also want to minimize detail on their current job and give more space (and weight) to more relevant jobs.
Another mistake is to state in your resume, cover letter or email that you are seeking employment in a company of a certain size or with a certain structure (family business, multinational, great work/life balance). You never want to close the door completely on an opportunity. For example, a job seeker looking to work in a small company may find that a very large company is structured into business units that feel like individual small companies. Further, the more conditions you list right on your resume, the more companies will consider you a potentially difficult employee—someone they do not want to deal with.
Finally, it is a mistake to format a resume with multiple typefaces, colored fonts, columns, and illustrations. Such resumes are often rejected by automated resume screen systems, which cannot handle complicated formats. They are also rejected by human hiring managers and recruiters who don’t have the time to work their way through imaginative layouts to find the information they want.
For resumes that hit the right note all the way through, contact Robin’s Resumes® today.