How to Write a Bad Resume

By Edward Cone on 2010-02-18

Jobs site TheLadders.com breaks down several common mistakes people make when writing their resumes.

Format

Neither a chronological job history nor a list of accomplishments alone tells your story; include both.

No Positioning

No job title or description of the position sought could result in no position gained.

Too Much or Too Little

Skimping on information does not help. Neither does writing War and Peace.

Two pages is OK for big jobs, three if you must.

Cookie-Cutter Formats

Make each version of your resume job-specific, using the employer's own words as a guide.

Vague Claims

Quantify what you can, rather than relying on soft phrasing of your accomplishments.

Wimpy Writing

Assertive words in complete sentences, please.

Repetitive Redundancy

Synonyms are your friends. Just don't sound like you're transcribing the Thesaurus.

Design Pretensions

Simple, consistent fonts work best.

Picture Problems

Some people don't like photos on resumes. Some computer systems and legal departments don't either. Avoid them.

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