A Common Sense Check List to Use Before Sending Out Your Resume

As the hiring manager for a small business, I get a chance to read each and every résumé sent to our office when a position needs to be filled. In this trying economic time, even the most entry-level position garners a huge response and a flood of résumés. Unfortunately, many of the résumés do not receive my full attention because of mistakes that are easily avoidable. Here is a list of some of the mistakes I have found, and tips on how to get your résumé noticed.

1. Proof Read - This one is obvious, but it seems that more and more people are depending on spell check to do proof reading for them. One résumé I received looked great, but when I was looking through the relevant work experience, a sentence read, "I position taught me many valuable lesions." I'm sure it should have read, "My position taught me many valuable lessons," but I put the résumé down and moved onto the next. So while nothing is spelled incorrectly, the sentence makes no sense.

2. Compatibility - In our office, only one computer can read Microsoft Office 2007 documents. And that one computer is not connected to the internet, so when I receive a résumé by email and it has a .docx extension, I can't open it. Office 2007 can save files in 2003 formats, and almost all computers can read the .doc extension. So while Word 2007 is the newest and maybe greatest version, not everyone can see the files that it produces. Therefore, it is extremely important to make sure your file will be able to be opened.

3. Speaking of file names - This one may just be a pet peeve of mine, but I try to keep all of the résumés we receive via email in folders so I know who is applying for what job. It is even easier to file them correctly when the file name is the same as the person's name who is applying. When I receive a résumé that is named, "My Resume.doc" I have to rename it in order to keep it separated from others with the same name. Also, please make sure that the name is somewhat professional if it is not going to be your name. One résumé I received had the name, "mommiesresumespellchecked.rtf." Rich text format is fine. Every text editor can read it, but when your résumé says you are proficient in Microsoft Word, and it is obvious that your child typed your résumé, you're going to get skipped.

4. Provide a phone number, and then answer it when you get a call! - This is another obvious one, but I still see it missed on a regular basis. Make sure that you put a working phone number on your résumé. I don't care if it's on the top, bottom or somewhere in the middle; just make sure one is there. Then, if you manage to get a phone number on the résumé, answer the phone when it rings, and not by saying, "Yo, who this?" At the very least, have an answering machine or voice mail message that you would want a perspective employer to hear. When I call and get a song, or someone telling me to "leave some love" I hang up and move onto the next résumé.

5. Know what you are applying for - This one may not be true for all companies, but when we place an ad, we say what we are looking for and what we are willing to pay. We also know where the ad is placed. So when a cover letter mentions a listing on Craigslist, and our ad was in the newspaper, someone is just being lazy. Also, if you see that the salary being offered is between $12-$15 an hour, and your salary requirement is $20, don't bother sending your résumé. We have budgets, and if the budget says we can spend between $12-$15 an hour, there is no way you're going to get a call if you're looking for $20.

6. Don't embellish or leave out information - When I look at a résumé, I can usually tell who is making up information to make themselves sound better, and who has actual experience. When there is a six-year gap in employment, I can tell that you don't want me to know about what was going on. And if you were a stay at home mom/dad during that time, just say it. There is nothing wrong with raising a child, but don't then call it being a "home manager" and then list your duties. We have plenty of people working for us with young children who manage just fine, so raising a child will not give you an edge over anyone else.

Furthermore, if you worked in fast food or other such industries, list them. I started at Burger King, and the owner of my company started at McDonalds. You learn how to multitask and think quickly, both qualities I look for in an employee. At the same time, listing Wendy's and then saying you handled large amounts of money and dealt directly with customers' needs and concerns, you're embellishing the truth. Everyone knows what it is to work in fast food, so don't try to make it sound like you were changing the world flipping burgers.

Not every résumé will have all of these problems, but I would estimate that 50% of the ones I see have at least one. It all boils down to reading what you have typed, being honest, and making sure I can see it once you're all done. If you follow these simple steps, expect a lot more calls, and maybe even a little bit more money.