5 Resume Mistakes You MUST Avoid (with real examples)!

Summary

In this career advice video, Jeff shares his journey of sending 367 cold emails, securing 21 interviews, and receiving 5 job offers, highlighting the importance of networking and resume editing. He identifies five common resume mistakes: prioritizing education over experience, failing to show impact, omitting meaningful metrics, not tailoring resumes for each job, and overlooking formatting details. Jeff provides actionable tips, including using word clouds to tailor resumes and emphasizes the significance of first impressions and quantifiable achievements.

Takeaways

• 📧 Networking is crucial: The speaker emphasizes the importance of networking with alumni, recruiters, and hiring managers to secure interviews.
• ✍️ Resume editing based on feedback: The speaker suggests that editing the resume based on feedback from interviews is key to getting more offers.
• 📚 Prioritize work experience: The speaker advises putting work experience before education on a resume to demonstrate job-related skills and experience.
• 💡 Show impact with clear examples: The speaker highlights the need to demonstrate the impact of one's work with concrete results rather than just using buzzwords.
• 📊 Include meaningful metrics: The speaker recommends quantifying achievements with metrics to show the level of impact and effort put into a role.
• 🔍 Tailor the resume for each job: The speaker points out the importance of customizing the resume for each job application to align with the job description.
• 🔑 Use job descriptions to identify keywords: The speaker suggests using job descriptions to identify relevant skills and keywords that can be added to the resume.
• 👀 Pay attention to small details: The speaker warns about the importance of proper formatting and the avoidance of small errors that can leave a bad impression.
• 📝 Seek feedback on the resume: The speaker recommends getting feedback from others or using tools like Grammarly to catch spelling and grammar issues.
• 📈 Start with action, show results: The speaker illustrates how to structure bullet points by starting with the action taken and then showing the results achieved.
• 📚 Provide a link to resume examples: The speaker offers PDF versions of 'good' and 'bad' resumes for reference, which are linked in the video description.

Q & A

How many cold emails did Jeff send out when applying for his first full-time job?

Jeff sent out a total of 367 cold emails.

How many first round interviews did Jeff receive after sending out his cold emails?

Jeff received 21 first round interviews.

How many full-time job offers did Jeff end up with after his job search?

Jeff ended up with five full-time job offers.

What were the two key actions Jeff took that led to most of his interviews?

Jeff networked extensively with alumni, recruiters, and hiring managers, and he edited his resume based on their feedback.

Why is it a mistake to put the education section above the work experience section on a resume?

Recruiters and hiring managers value work experience, including internships and extracurricular activities, more than education because it better translates to on-the-job performance.

What is the main issue with Jeff's original resume in terms of showing impact?

Jeff's original resume used overcomplicated words without showing the actual impact or results of his actions.

How did Jeff improve the bullet points in his updated resume to show impact?

In the updated resume, Jeff clearly showed the results of his contributions, such as a banking client successfully opening a branch in the local market.

Why is it important to include meaningful metrics in a resume?

Including meaningful metrics helps quantify the impact of your work and shows the effort you put into understanding and measuring your performance.

What is a simple way to quantify your impact on a resume?

A simple way is to keep asking yourself 'so what?' and provide the results or outcomes of your actions.

Why is it a mistake not to tailor your resume for each job application?

Not tailoring your resume for each job application can result in a generic resume that doesn't highlight the specific skills and experiences relevant to the job you're applying for.

How can you easily identify relevant skills for a job application by using job descriptions?

You can copy and paste job descriptions into a word cloud generator to identify relevant skills and keywords that the recruiter might be looking for.

What is the main issue with Jeff's original resume in terms of small details?

Jeff's original resume had inconsistent formatting, such as different styles of hyphens, which can be a red flag for recruiters.

What is a simple way to catch small mistakes in a resume?

Sending your resume to people you know for feedback or using tools like Grammarly or auto correct in Google Docs can help catch small mistakes.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Maximizing Job Interview Opportunities

In this video, Jeff shares his personal experience with job applications, highlighting how networking and resume editing led to multiple interviews and job offers. He emphasizes the importance of placing work experience above education in resumes, as recruiters value practical skills over academic achievements. Jeff also provides a link to his resume examples for viewers to reference. He discusses the critical mistake of not demonstrating impact in resumes, suggesting that clear, quantifiable results are more compelling than generic statements. He advises job seekers to focus on showing what they accomplished rather than just listing tasks.

05:02

🔍 Tailoring Resumes and Attention to Detail

Jeff continues by addressing common resume mistakes, starting with the lack of tailored resumes for each job application. He suggests using job descriptions to identify relevant skills and incorporating these keywords into resumes. He also stresses the importance of maintaining a consistent format and avoiding easily fixable errors, as these can negatively impact first impressions. Jeff recommends using tools like Grammarly or Google Docs' autocorrect to catch such mistakes. He concludes by encouraging viewers to watch his video on writing effective cover letters to further increase their chances of securing interviews.

Keywords

💡Cold emails

Cold emails refer to unsolicited messages sent to potential employers or contacts without any prior relationship. In the video, the speaker mentions sending out 367 cold emails as part of their job application strategy, which highlights the proactive approach they took in reaching out to secure interviews.

💡First round interviews

First round interviews are the initial meetings with potential employers to assess a candidate's suitability for a job. The script indicates that the speaker received 21 first round interviews, emphasizing the importance of effective communication and presentation in the job application process.

💡Full-time job offers

Full-time job offers are formal proposals from employers to hire a candidate for a permanent position. The video mentions that the speaker received five full-time job offers, showcasing the outcome of their job search efforts and the effectiveness of their strategies.

💡Networking

Networking involves building and maintaining professional relationships. The speaker attributes much of their interview success to networking with alumni, recruiters, and hiring managers, illustrating the value of personal connections in the job search process.

💡Resume editing

Resume editing is the process of revising and refining a resume to better showcase one's qualifications and experiences. The script discusses how the speaker edited their resume based on feedback, which led to more interviews and job offers, underscoring the importance of a well-crafted resume.

💡Education section

The education section of a resume typically lists academic qualifications, including degrees and institutions attended. The speaker advises against placing this section above work experience, as recruiters value practical work experience more highly, as seen in their critique of the 'bad resume' example.

💡Work experience

Work experience on a resume details a candidate's professional background, including internships and jobs. The video emphasizes the importance of listing work experience above education to demonstrate on-the-job capabilities and industry knowledge to potential employers.

💡Bullet points

Bullet points in a resume are concise statements that highlight specific achievements or responsibilities. The speaker discusses how bullet points can help visualize a candidate's ability to perform the job, as illustrated by the contrast between the 'bad resume' and the improved version.

💡Impact

Impact refers to the significant effects or outcomes of one's actions or contributions. The video script stresses the importance of showing impact in a resume by using concrete examples and results, rather than just listing tasks or responsibilities.

💡Meaningful metrics

Meaningful metrics are quantifiable measures that demonstrate the results of one's work. The speaker explains that including metrics in a resume can show the effort to quantify impact, even if the numbers are not impressive, as in the example of a 23% higher presentation score compared to the class average.

💡Tailoring

Tailoring a resume means customizing it to match the specific requirements and keywords of a job description. The video advises tailoring the resume for each job application to increase the chances of standing out to recruiters, as opposed to using a generic resume for all applications.

💡Small things

Small things in the context of a resume refer to minor details such as formatting, spelling, and grammar. The speaker admits to previously overlooking these details but now emphasizes their importance in making a strong first impression, as exemplified by the inconsistent hyphen formatting in the 'bad resume'.

Highlights

The speaker sent out 367 cold emails, received 21 first-round interviews, and got 5 job offers, emphasizing the importance of networking and resume editing based on feedback.

The first resume mistake discussed is placing the education section above work experience, which may not be as relevant to job performance.

Work experience, including internships and extracurricular activities, is more indicative of job performance than academic achievements.

Resume bullet points should help visualize a candidate's ability to perform the job, making them more appealing to hiring managers.

The second mistake is not showing the impact of one's work, which is crucial for demonstrating the value a candidate can bring to a role.

Using specific examples and results in resume bullet points can make a candidate stand out by clearly communicating their accomplishments.

The third mistake is the failure to include meaningful metrics, which can help quantify a candidate's impact and effort.

Even small or less impressive metrics can demonstrate a candidate's initiative to measure their performance against peers or benchmarks.

The fourth mistake is not tailoring the resume for each job application, which can make a candidate seem less interested or less qualified.

Focusing on a few targeted roles and customizing the resume for each can increase the chances of getting noticed by recruiters.

Using a word cloud generator with job descriptions can help identify relevant skills and keywords to include in a tailored resume.

The fifth and final mistake discussed is overlooking small formatting and grammar issues, which can create a negative first impression.

Even minor errors can be a red flag for recruiters, indicating a lack of attention to detail or professionalism.

The speaker suggests sending the resume to multiple people for feedback or using tools like Grammarly to catch mistakes.

The difference between a LinkedIn profile and a resume is highlighted, with the former being more general and the latter hyper-targeted for each application.

The speaker provides a link to the PDF versions of two resumes for reference and further learning.

A call to action is made for viewers to watch another video on writing effective cover letters to increase interview chances.

Transcripts

- All right, so, when I was applying

to my first full-time job,

I sent out a total of 367 cold emails,

received 21 first round interviews,

and ended up with five full-time job offers,

but what those numbers do not show is

that most of those interviews only came after

I started doing two things.

First, networking my butt off

with alumni, recruiters, and hiring managers,

and, second, editing my resume based on their feedback.

So, in this video,

I'll first share the five biggest resume mistakes I made

back in the day,

then go through the changes

that landed me all those first round interviews.

Let's get started.

Hi, friends, welcome back to my channel.

If you're new here, my name is Jeff.

Come for the career tips

and stay for the painfully accurate job search memes.

Mistake number one, putting the education section

above the work experience section.

While I am still extremely proud of my GPA and SAT score,

recruiters and hiring managers know

that any sort of work experience,

including internships and extracurricular activities

translate much better to on the job performance,

and this is because, when written correctly,

the bullet points on your resume help them visualize

your ability to do the job they're hiring for.

Let's imagine a hiring manager starts

to scan down my "bad resume."

She sees my GPA,

the classes that I took, my high school honor roll,

realizes none of that is relevant,

she just wasted 30 seconds of her life,

and she moves on to the next applicant.

Now, imagine she opens up a resume

and sees, immediately,

I've worked on finance transformation

and supply chain projects.

She thinks, "Okay, this candidate

"has some industry knowledge

"and can probably present to clients.

"He actually might be a good fit for this project

"we're currently short staffed on,"

and she reads on.

Even if I only had my first summer internship available,

she would know at least I have worked

in a finance department before,

and I have basic Excel skills.

Oh, and I probably should have mentioned this sooner,

but I've linked the PDF versions of the two resumes

for free, down below.

So, feel free to reference them

when updating your own resume.

Mistake number two, not showing impact.

If you take a quick look at my original KPMG example,

assisted with project governance,

presented to a banking client,

helped with the project research.

You'll notice something awkward.

I use all these fancy overcomplicated words,

but you still don't know the implication

of those actions.

Compared this with the updated version

of the same bullet point.

Even though I start off, basically, the same way,

you can clearly see the result of my contributions

the banking client successfully opened a branch

in the local market.

This is the difference between just saying fluffy buzzwords

and actually showing impact.

I can't stress this enough,

and, hey, don't just take my word for it.

Big name career coaches like Austin Belcak and Adam Broda

reiterate this all the time.

You need to communicate what you accomplished,

and, even, Ali Abdaal, someone we don't normally associate

with being professional or businessy, right?

He says...

- So this is a bunch of buzzwords

and (bleep) that is not substantiated by anything at all.

- And at this point, many of you might fall into the trap

of mistake number three,

failing to include meaningful metrics,

and the reason I know is from all the comments

in my original resume video.

This one sums up what many of you might be thinking.

How do you show metrics when you're new

or you don't have impressive metrics

from your internship,

or this one,

how do I quantify work achievements?

I'm at a startup where data points are not established yet.

I'm not sure how to state metrics while staying authentic,

and the short answer is

that recruiters and hiring managers care much more

about the effort you put into quantifying your impact

rather than the actual numbers themselves.

For example, when I apply to my first ever internship,

I literally wrote "my presentation scored 23% higher

"than the class average."

That seems insignificant, right?

Yes, but it also shows I knew the success metric

of the presentation, the score,

and I took the extra step to benchmark my performance

to that of my peers.

Pro tip, a fool-proof way to quantify your impact is

to keep asking yourself, so what?

Taking my SAT tutoring experience as an example,

I might have started off with,

"Taught SAT during my summer break in college."

Okay, so what?

The average increase in my student's SAT scores

was 280 points.

So what?

Seven out of the eight seniors got accepted

into their first choice colleges.

Impact, to really drive this point home

because it's so important,

here's an extreme example.

It's much better to write

"delivered on average nine coffees a day

"with 100% accuracy on all orders for three months,"

than, "I fetched coffee for senior associates

"during my summer internship."

Mistake number four is a tough one for me to admit

because I remember being very defensive

when I got this feedback,

and that is not tailoring my resume

for each job application.

I mean, back then, I applied to over 50 jobs and I was lazy.

I wasn't gonna create 50 versions of the same resume

but the present, more mature me will tell you two things.

First, the workload isn't that bad

if you focus your attention on three to five roles,

which you should be doing anyways

because the apply it to everything approach

doesn't work well in today's job market.

So, why not invest more time

in the quality of your application rather than the quantity?

Second, for a similar set of roles,

you can copy and paste those job descriptions

into a word cloud generator

to easily identify relevant skills

the recruiter might be looking for

and add those keywords into your resume.

This is a very easy way to tailor your resume

for different roles,

and I go through step by step instructions

in my original resume video

So, I'll link that down below.

Pro tip, this is the biggest difference

between your LinkedIn profile and your resume.

Your LinkedIn should give a more general overview

of who you are professionally

and it shouldn't change all that much,

whereas your resume should be more hyper-targeted

for each application.

Mistake number five is overlooking the small things,

and to show you what I mean

take a look at this part of my original resume.

Pause the video and see if you can spot the mistake.

These two hyphens are formatted differently.

Did you notice?

Some of you might already be rolling your eyes right now,

but believe me when I tell you first impressions matter

and while perfect formatting

won't guarantee you the interview,

easily avoidable errors like this can be a red flag.

Again, don't just take my word for it

or the word of those corporate LinkedIn career gurus.

Here's Ali Abdaal again.

- A bunch of spelling and grammar issues there.

Like, this is really obvious stuff.

- So, whether you're applying for a role

in a traditional corporation or a fun and chill startup,

small things matter.

That's what he said.

Nope, that was inappropriate.

Sorry about that.

A simple way to catch these mistakes is

to send your resume to 10 people you know,

and get their feedback,

or at the very least use a tool like Grammarly

or even auto correct in Google Docs.

All right, once you've updated that resume,

make sure to check out this video

on how to write an effective cover letter

to maximize your chances for a first round interview.

See you in the next video.

In the meantime, have a great one!