Category: Resume Writing

The Truth About Resumes

A person’s anonymous resume might get them called for an interview. Once the hiring manager sees the candidate in person it could influence whether the person gets a job offer.

Today AI is used in the interviewing process. Hiring managers are using AI to figure out who’s the best applicant to hire. Artificial intelligence–not a person’s own intelligence–is now a factor in helping an interviewer decide who to give a job offer.

As well you and I cannot get around using AI on our jobs. There are even AI resume builders. In fact using the software could lead to every job applicant creating an identical AI resume.

I don’t think this the way to go about choosing who to hire. If a company is using the “same old same old” criteria for who they think is best qualified to do a particular job that’s not a competitive approach if you ask me.

Two other ways are to have a candidate come in for a one-day work trial or to submit a work sample.

“Business as usual” should not be the standard operating procedure.

I’ve chosen to pay for a ChatGPT individual account. As I’ve read that you can use AI to type in a list of food items you have. Then the bot will generate a list of recipes you can create with the food you have.

This is one use of AI that I can recommend. As otherwise AI can be biased and generate what’s called hallucinations or information that is not right. There’s also the issue of AI software violating the original content creator’s copyright.

Yet even with the drawbacks I think everyone seeking to get a job should become proficient in using AI. Better it is for all of us to learn and use AI judiciously.

The difference is in analyzing the AI output and customizing it to your needs. Instead of relying on cutting-and-pasting the information without discerning if it’s good to go as is.

Coming up in future blog entries I will talk about preserving our mental health once we get our jobs.

7 Common Resume Mistakes

  1. Using a Job Objective header.
  2. Formatting the text in a way that is not easy to read quickly from top of page to bottom.
  3. Making spelling and grammar mistakes.
  4. Listing job functions not quantifiable results you’ve achieved on the job for your employer.
  5. Using a Resume Wizard template.
  6. Stealing information from a “best sample resume” found on Google.
  7. Using vague language or puffery in an attempt to sell yourself.

The reasons why you shouldn’t do these things:

I’ve seen that without fail people who use a Job Objective header state under this header: To use my skills to advance in my career. No. No. No. Your resume should detail what specific skills, traits, and experience you have that will benefit the company not you. If you’ve nailed down the perfect job for you and are applying for jobs that are in sync with your personality of course you’ll be able to advance in your career.

Over and over I’ve also seen that when a person uses a professional format for the text it makes an immediate improvement. This could be the sole reason you weren’t getting called for interviews in the past: the content is okay and the graphics are off-putting.

For any job and especially one that requires attention to detail making spelling and grammar mistakes will land your resume in the trash pile in seconds.

To stand out from other candidates who have performed the same functions on a job you must list quantifiable results you achieved in your positions.

It goes without saying that a Resume Wizard template is not a good idea for crafting your compelling sales pitch. In 2021 any job applicant should and must be able to create outstanding graphics for their resume on their own. Without relying on a Wizard that has aqua text or uses a photo. No photos on a resume either.

I have rarely discovered a “best sample resume” via a Google search that is any good. You can search for a great resume sample for the job you’re applying for. Only use your judgment to figure out how to customize what you find in your own words. Some sample resumes are OK. Most leave a lot to be desired.

In the 1990s I saw a resume that stated a person “walked on water.” Unless you’re Jesus you cannot claim to have walked on water. This resume also claimed that the person “made order out of chaos.”