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Over the last 25 years there have been many myths related to resumes. It is hard to know how some of these myths came about, but it appears that a large percentage of resume writers believe in them. This is part two of two revealing the top 12 reality myths. Resume Myth #7 - “Don’t worry about a few minor spelling or grammar errors.” Some say that hiring managers expect errors on resumes and that just shows that you are human. WRONG! The only purpose of a resume is to get you an interview. If you don’t put your best foot forward on you own resume, when will you? Make sure your resume is accurate and free of all spelling and grammar problems. Resume Myth #8 – “By creating a general resume, the HR staff can figure out what you want to do” The only time the HR staff will be reviewing resumes is when they have a specific opening. They do not have time to try to figure out where you would fit in. Resume Myth #9 – “PDF is the best format for your resume.” Some people feel that the PDF format is best because it cannot be easily changed. The real problem is that the PDF format cannot be scanned for keywords, either Text or MS-Word format work best. Resume Myth #10 – “Always use fancy fonts and graphics and print your resume on high quality stationary with matching envelopes.” If you sent your resume via snail mail if will probably rarely get read. HR departments want all resumes in their database. If it is read, the fancy fonts, graphics and paper may give the feeling that you are trying to hide something. Recruiters won’t be impressed. If they do scan your resume into their database there will be problems reading the graphics and fonts. Words may come off as misspellings. Keep the font simple, either Helvetica or Times Roman - typically 12 point size. Resume Myth #11 – “Don’t include your social media information.” Recruiters and hiring managers now automatically search for your social media site(s), so you can save them some time and provide the exact addresses. This will ensure that they don’t mistakenly go to somebody else’s site. It should be noted that you should always keep your social sites clean of any questionable photos or information. If you have that type of material on your site(s) make sure that only friends and family can access it. Resume Myth #12 – “Cover letters must accompany every resume.” Some recruiters and HR personnel will read cover letters but the large majority will just ignore them. The common thought that anything that you put into a cover letter will be repeated information from the resume. It is better to spend more time on your objective (see Resume Myth #6) to provide a snapshot of what you want and who you are. Jim Stedt is a partner at The Business SoftSkills Company (GetSoftSkillsNow.Com) located in Santa Ana, California. They provide job readiness and workforce success videos for education, business, prisons and individual use. Training is available online, on DVD, or through an affiliate program. These products are the most complete and concise soft skills training packages now available for the price of an average college textbook.
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