Some of us have been sending out applications for our dream job, but do we get called back for the next stage? Some of us have all the required skills for advertised jobs; our cover letter is engaging and highlights our abilities, but do we get the job? It might be our resume. Have some of us thought about this?

Hiring managers often spend a lot of time looking through several resumes and finding the perfect candidate for the job. However, some of us candidates, through our resumes make the recruiting process harder for hiring managers. You do not want to be one of these candidates. Check out these resume red flags.

TYPOS

Typos misspelt words, and grammatical errors are at the centre of the ‘stop reading right now’ list for hiring managers. It does not matter how qualified you are for the job; this is a red flag. Also, having typos on your resume shows that you are not as detailed as you claimed you are on your resume if you cannot pay attention to your grammar on a one/two-page resume. This is a pet peeve for recruiters and there is no excuse for typos on your resume.

To fix this, make sure your tenses are correct and format your document rightly.

UNUSUAL FONTS, COLOURS AND IMAGES.

Your resume is not a work of art but an important marketing document. This is not an opportunity to display your design skills. Keep your document simple, clear, and free from unprofessional fonts, sizes, and images.

EMPLOYMENT GAPS

Your resume is your first impression with an employer or a recruiter and you should make it a good one. Most recruiters scan through your resume for potential red flags before they decide about you. They are on the lookout for unsuitable candidates and one factor that makes you unsuitable is having unexplained employment gaps on your resume. Employment gaps are common and should not be a red flag because life happens right? However, when a gap is unexplained on your resume, then it becomes a red flag. It is important to explain why you took a break, address it confidently and highlight your experiences and lessons during your time off. If you have any transferable skills, volunteering roles or courses you gained. Simply highlight it on your resume.

LENGTH OF YOUR RESUME

Your resume should not be more than 3 pages. Be as brief as possible, concise and go straight to the point. Your resume is a marketing document and your recruiter only cares about relevant experiences. Highlight your achievements minimally and focus on what you can offer.

NOT UPDATING YOUR RESUME

We are all guilty of leaving things undone and getting back to it last minute, like not editing our resumes before we send them out. Editing and updating your resume is a crucial aspect of your resume. Did you get a job recently, why haven’t you logged that achievement on your resume? Did you change your mobile number to a new one, why is it not on your resume? Make sure your dates, email address, mobile number etc. are accurate and can be verified.

Furthermore, there are some things you should take out of your CV. You might have to remove some irrelevant hobbies and interests that are not useful to the hiring manager to make an informed decision. Also, you might want to remove your professional headshot.

Now you know what it takes to make recruiters tick you off and put you on their ‘not suitable’ list.  You should take another pass at your resume and make sure it is not getting flagged for these reasons. Endeavour to fix the red flags that are stopping you from landing an interview.