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Resume Writing: HR and Recruiter Pet Peeves
- Spelling errors (Birkshire Hathaway), typos and poor grammar
- Too duty oriented - reads like a job description and fails to explain what the job seeker's accomplishments were and how they did so
- Missing dates or inaccurate dates
- Missing contact info, inaccurate, or unprofessional email addresses
- Poor formatting - boxes, templates, tables, use of header and footers, etc
- Functional resumes as opposed to chronological resumes
- Long resumes - over 2 pages
- Long, dense paragraphs - no bullet-points
- Unqualified candidates - candidates who apply to positions they are not qualified for
- Personal info not relevant to the job
- Missing employer info and/or not telling what industry or product candidate worked in
- Lying, misleading, especially in terms of education, dates and inflated titles
- Objectives or meaningless introductions
- Poor font choice or style
- Resumes sent in .pdf, .zip files, faxed, web page resumes, mailed resumes; not sent as a "word" attachment
- Pictures, graphics or URL links that no recruiter will call up
- No easy-to-follow summary
- Resumes written in 1st or 3rd Person
- Gaps in employment
- Burying important info in the resume
- Less is more
- Making your bullets too industry specific especially if you are in finance
- Having a work email on your resume
- Too much personal and/or school info- fraternity etc...
- Emphasizing education instead of experience if you have decent experience
The right resume makes all the difference and can determine whether you'll get the interview or get passed over.
We've put together a few sample resumes, which you should study carefully and use to create your new resume accordingly.
To preserve the formatting of these files, we have used the PDF format. You will need a copy of Adobe¬ Acrobat¬ Reader to view these PDF files. If you do not already have a copy of the Reader, you can download a free copy from Adobe by clicking on the icon below:
Public Company CFO
Big Five Guy Resume
Sample of a CPA resume.
Veep Of Finance Resume
Sample of a VP of Finance resume.
Harrison Ford Resume
Sample of a Financial Analyst resume.
MBA Resume (CU Boulder's format)
Chronological Resume (University of Denver's format)
Following is a list of things to consider when creating your resume and cover letter:
| Resumes |
| Do | |
Don't |
|
| include company description |
|
weird or small or large fonts |
| minimize white space |
|
typing or colored paper (except ivory) |
| include years of college graduation |
|
include fraternity/sorority information |
| include e-mail address |
|
abbreviate (i.e. 7/98 as opposed to July 1998) |
| include months and years of employment |
|
use a typewriter/courier typeface |
| account for employment gaps |
|
include personal info, such as religion, marital status,
hobbies, or offspring ages |
| have a scan-able version of your resume with key words and
skills |
|
put down job description instead of accomplishments |
| appreciate your audience |
|
lie/puff excessively |
| build on your experience; weight current jobs most heavily |
|
include your objective |
| leave a header on page two |
|
exceed two pages |
| comb resume for typos and let an objective eye review it |
|
overload with jargon (synergies, thinking out of the box, enterprise-wide, world-class, etc.) |
| understand human resources' role |
|
fold cover letter and resume separately |
| break out computer skills |
|
do a functional resume (are you hiding something?) |
| tweak your resume for each position |
|
necessarily include "CPA" after your name |
| break out title and dates |
|
volunteer compensation information
|
| Cover Letters |
| Do | |
Don't |
|
| tailor it to the job |
|
parrot the resume |
| bullet the requirements to match the job |
|
be too cutesy |
| keep it short |
|
say "I will call you" then don't call |
| address it to a person's name |
|
|
| include your name and phone number |
|
|
| three paragraphs: a. This is who I am. b. This is why I'm
perfect for the job. c. I look forward to the opportunity to meet with
you... yada yada yada. |
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