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Shattering 4 Resume Myths

Resume myths—“rules” job-seekers follow that aren’t really rules at all, or at least that don’t apply anymore—are secretly undermining your resume. You could look selfish, dated, or worst, irrelevant! So let’s bust four of the biggest resume myths.

Myth #1: Job hunting is about your needs

Yes, you need a job, but an employer isn’t going to hire you out of benevolence. You’re doing it wrong if your resume opens with, “I want to find a job that utilizes my strengths and offers opportunities for….” Your resume shouldn’t be about what you want from a job, it should be about how a company can benefit from your talents. Showcase your skills and achievements against what the company needs, and frame yourself as the best fit. You can get this information from the job description and from the company’s website or recent press.

Myth #2: One resume fits all jobs

The worst thing you can do is send the exact same resume to all jobs you apply for. Carbon copied resumes may have been typical in the day of typewritten and faxed resumes, but in this age of computers and online applications, there’s no excuse for not tailoring your resume for every job you apply to. You wouldn’t send the same resume for an entry-level accountant at a large fashion retailer as you would for a COO at a tech startup, right? Yes, it’s more effort up front, but quality over quantity reaps more rewards in the end.

Myth #3: Include your references

If your resume includes “references available upon request” or references’ contact information, you are wasting valuable space! Since nobody ever said, “Sorry, prospective employer, I won’t share my references with you,” employers expect you to provide references at the appropriate time in the hiring process—and they will ask you for them.

Myth #4: Your resume must be one page

Worry less about length and focus instead on presenting the most relevant information in the most concise manner. Many young professionals will have a one-page resume because they are only starting to gain experience. But a mid-level professional may have two pages, and an executive may have three. Don’t make a prospective employer dig through college fast-food jobs. The key is relevance! Just remember that no matter your level, more than three pages is probably excessive, so if you’re having trouble paring down, you may want to work with a professional resume writer.

Which of these myths does your resume need to bust?

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