12 Don'ts When Writing a Killer Resume

First impressions last. Your opportunity to impress your employer begins with a killer resume. Here are some things you should avoid at all costs.

1. Don’t limit what you have to say

If you have more to say, don’t limit your resume to a page. Use two or three if necessary. Get your message across as clearly as you can.

2. Don’t write lengthy paragraphs

It's best to write in bullet points instead of lengthy paragraphs. Remember employers don't have the luxury of time. Focus on what matters.

3. Don’t put your oldest job at the top

Use a reverse chronological order when listing your work experience. If a job is not relevant, exclude it.

4. Don’t just slap a bunch of words together

Put some formatting in your resume. Use headers and different font sizes to establish hierarchy. Avoid decorative formatting!

5. Don’t list unnecessary or obvious skills

Do away with “skilled in Microsoft Word”. Instead, write your relevant abilities in your professional summary. There’s no need for a skills section, really.

6. Don’t highlight your duties

Focus on performance instead of your responsibilities. Hiring managers want to see the impact you’ve made.

7. Don’t ignore grammatical errors

Always proofread. Avoid grammatical errors, typos, and wrong information (i.e. outdated phone numbers, incorrect dates, etc.).