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THE TEN MOST COMMON RESUME-WRITING MISTAKES
1. Too long. The preferred length is one page.
2. Disorganized. The information is scattered around the page and hard to follow. It’s
poorly typed, it’s hard to read, it looks unprofessional.
3. Overwritten. Long paragraphs and sentences; takes too long to say too little.
4. Too sparse. Not enough information.
5. Not oriented for results. Doesn’t show what the candidate accomplished on the job.
6. Too many irrelevances. Height, weight, sex, salary, marital status is not needed.
Include hobbies or vocational or social interests only if they clearly contribute to your
work ability for your current job target.
7. Misspellings, typological errors, poor grammar, incorrect contact information.
Resumes should be carefully proofread before they are mailed.
8. Tries too hard. Fancy typesetting, binders, photographs, and exotic paper distract from
the clarity of the presentation.
9. Misdirected. Too many resumes arrive on employers’ desks unrequested, and with little
or no apparent connection to the organization.
10. And perhaps the most important DON’T LIE. Presenting yourself in a favorable light is
expected in a resume, but NEVER make the mistake of slipping over the line into
inventing your achievements. It not only will make you feel uncomfortable about your
true achievements, but it may get you fired if your embellishments are discovered.
CRITICIZING AN EMPLOYEE OFTEN PRODUCES
ANGRY AND DEFENSIVE REACTIONS
Staff appraisal interviews are no fun. Many managers simply do not bother, because they are
worried about how staff may react to criticism of their work.
Yet telling staff how they are doing can motivate and it can produce extra efficiently and
performance. Feedback is especially important for new recruits to help them find their footing.
Criticizing an employee often produces anger. Comments such as “are you saying that I am
not doing my job properly”, or “do not treat me like a child”, or even profanity are frequent
defensive reactions.
