20,000 Resumes Later: Common Resume Mistakes and Quick Fixes

How many resumes does Google receive each week? Sometimes upwards of fifty thousand, according to Laszlo Block, Google’s SVP of People Operations. Block has personally looked over more than twenty thousand resumes, and recently posted on LinkedIn about the top five resume mistakes he sees and how to fix them:

Mistake #1: Typos
Easy Fix: If you read your resume backwards (from the bottom up), your brain will be able to isolate words more easily and catch those spelling and grammar mistakes.

Mistake #2: Length
Easy Fix: Remember that your resume is essentially just to get you an interview, so you don’t need to stuff it with too many details. You can elaborate on your relevant experiences during an interview or follow-up conversation.

Mistake #3: Formatting
Easy Fix: Save it as a PDF to avoid formatting inconsistencies across different computers/devices.

Mistake #4: Confidential Information
Easy Fix: Use the New York Times test – if you would cringe seeing it on the front page of the Times with your name underneath it, don’t put it on your resume.

Mistake #5: Lies
Easy Fix: Don’t do it. It can come back to haunt you later.

Read Laszlo Block’s full post on LinkedIn here!

Article By Gabriel Sehringer