Common Resume Mistakes

1. Multilingual resumes - Although Arabic is your mother tongue, these days it is a good idea to have your resume in Arabic and in English. The Middle East is growing and this includes Egypt and that means that there is an increasing number of Multinational organisations looking for employees and they require your resume to be in English
2. Adding to much information in the personal details section - often people want to add information such as; their marital status, number of children, ages of their children, nationality etc. While this used to be the norm it is no longer necessary to add all this information
3. Missing or inappropriate email address - We have already covered this in "Common Resume Questions - Question 3". Sending your application with an email like, sexkitten(at)gmail.com or ihatework(at)hotmail.com is not only appropriate it could be the reason you are not getting to those all important interviews So avoid an inappropriate email
4. Writing your resume in the first person. Words like, I and me are repeated and overused in resumes produced at home or by persons without experience. Making a resume too personal tends to look unprofessional and can create an impression of arrogance and egocentrism. Wrting in the third person sounds better and comes across as more professional
5. No bullet points - Todays job market is very competitive and hence recruiter no longer have the time to read long paragraphs of your experience and skills. The need to place a candidate normally has a deadline, employers normally have more than one recruiter searching for the right candidate so therefore time is of the essence. Writing your resume in a way that is easy to read and this includes the use of bullet points. However overuse of bullet points can also count against you.
6. Spelling grammar and typing mistakes - in life people tend to focus on negative issues and making this kind of error only emphasises this fact. Regardless of your skills and experiences, if you make one of these errors you will almost certainly not be considered for the role. So check, double check that you have corrected spelling, grammar and typing errors and if you are still not sure then have a trusted friend or family member read your resume
7. Length of your resume - one of the most common mistakes. If your resume is too long. A one page resume is sufficient and anything up to 3 pages is acceptable but anything longer than should be shortened. This does not include legal profession and persons from the medical profession as they may want to list more specific information about their skills and experiences which may stretch their resume over 3 pages.
8. Resume not in chronological order - Chronological order is the most frequently used format. It also helps the recruiter look at your most recent working experiences. However you should consider using another format if you do not have a stable work history
9. Not including a skills and achievements section in your resume - A resume is your opportunity to communicate your skills, achievements and professional experiences in one place therefore don't forget to include key information
10. Referees included - Generally referees are requested once you get to the second round. I say that there is no harm in including this information but while the industry has set the standard it would be wise to leave this till this information is requested
11. Lack of a proper professional profile - This is normally a brief statement at the beginning of your resume which in the space of a few lines, conveys to readers an overall impression of your key personal and professional characteristics. An objective which is not always needed explains the preferred direction you would like you career to go, including what you hope to achieve from your future career
12. Inappropriate headings - Your resume should normally be headed with your name in large fonts and bold at the top of your resume. Also make sure your job title headings match the position you are applying for eg. If you are applying for a Sales and Business Development make sure your headings reflect the position you are applying for.
13. Lack of keywords and core competencies - In today's computer age, in order to have your resume retrieved from a database you need to have the relevant keywords and core competencies written in your resume. Recruiters sometimes use keyword scanners to find the most relevant resumes for the position they are trying to fill. Even MyCareerEgypt uses a filter to help recruiters filter resumes from applicants who have the appropriate skills for a vacant position. Therefore ensure you do not forget to include core competencies and vital keywords.