5 Worst Mistakes People Make When Writing a Technical Resume
Landing a job is not as easy as it may sound and there’s a chance your resume is the very thing that is keeping you from receiving a great number of job opportunities in the market.
It is important to have a resume that showcases your skills and experiences related to the position for which you are applying.
Keep in mind, though, that technical resume slightly differs from the standard one, even though both must be readable, informative and relevant.
Still, one common thing between a tech and a standard resume is that every recruiter wants to see in the resume your edge over other job seekers.
So, before you start putting everything on paper, just think about your strengths and weaknesses and determine your career goals. Of course, don’t forget about your unique accomplishments that make you stand out from the rest.
Below are the 5 biggest resume mistakes IT/tech professionals make and their corresponding “quick fix.”
- Adding unrelated work experience
- Same resume for all the applications
- No job accomplishments, only duties
- Using internal company acronyms and jargons
- Missing contact information
Mistake #1: Adding unrelated work experience
Since resumes usually have a very limited space and hiring professionals don’t have the time, prioritizing relevant information that directly points to your suitability for the open role is of paramount importance. If you are applying for an engineering role but have had unrelated work experience or have worked in a different field, you can create a separate list on the resume for this. Although presenting the relevant ones is highly impactful, there are certain cases wherein unrelated work may prove favorable as well.
Mistake #2: Same resume for all the applications
Depending on how similar or varying the positions you are applying for are, it is highly recommended that you prepare different versions of your resume. You can do this by either creating a separate bio for a distinctly different type of job that involves substantially unconnected knowledge, skills and experience; or customizing one and making sure the small details of its content complement the job requirements of each employer. Submitting the same document for every job role is definitely a no-go and may even hurt your chances of you getting noticed by the hiring professional.
Mistake #3: No job accomplishments, only duties
In a competitive job market, positioning yourself as a strong candidate and coming out exceptional is the real game. You may or may not agree that, to quote Jody Michael Associates, “the best resumes are those with quantifiable, measurable accomplishments.” Keep in mind that your resume is your ultimate marketing tool, thus, it is equally important to highlight not only your tasks while on the job but also your outstanding achievements. This little tactic will open doors to multiple career opportunities and will even give you an edge over other job seekers who do not realize their strengths and cannot market their value.
Mistake #4: Using internal company acronyms and jargons
When writing a technical resume, never forget about your audience. Using too many acronyms and jargons in your resume could leave recruiters and hiring professionals reading your resume in the dark.
Remember that these buzzwords not only differ by company or industry but, in some cases, by geography too. Producing quality technical resume is about decoding abbreviations and technical terms into full names, titles or concepts that are easy to understand.
There may also be instances when you find yourself needing to use acronyms or industry-specific keywords in your resume. When this happens, just see to it that you don’t overfill your document with jargons.
Mistake #5: Missing contact information
One possible reason why brilliant technical resumes get declined is overlooking contact information. According to the survey about 76% of resumes with missing email addresses are rejected (Business News Daily, 2019).
Be sure to update your resume with correct details such as a mailing address and a number that you can always readily answer. It also helps to use and include a professional email address with your first and last name, rather than an old, silly-sounding one.
Other elements worth adding to your header are a link to your LinkedIn profile, personal blog or website and online portfolio. These are great resources you can take advantage of to demonstrate further the kind of work that you do and the realm of your professional pursuits.
No matter how small, pay attention to every detail that you mention in your resume. Most of the time, hiring managers focus not only on your technical background, but even on the font you choose, the formatting and the tone of your resume!
So, there you have it – the most common resume mistakes recruiters and hiring managers frequently encounter and the mistakes job seekers must avoid.