How To Avoid Resume Blunders - WCIV-TV | ABC News 4 - Charleston News, Sports, Weather

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And for many job seekers these days, that first impression isn't face-to-face.   It's through email, and with resumes.
 
As you might imagine, when an employer posts a job opening, they're bombarded with resumes.   And a recent CareerBuilder survey of more than 2500 hiring experts found some surprising and amusing  results:

• 38%  said they spend less than a minute reviewing a resume.   
• 18%, less than 30 seconds.

Numbers like those can leave job hunters looking for ways to stand out from the crowd.  But some attempts miss the mark. Employers surveyed cited examples like these:

• A candidate who topped her resume with a picture of her cat.
• Another who sent a 24-page resume covering achievements of a career spanning all of 5 years.  
• And another who informed the hiring manager, "I'll have your job in five years."

The serious advice from these humorous anecdotes, don't get too personal, and don't be too confident.  CareerBuilder's Michael Erwin says, "You want to make sure that whatever you're doing to sell yourself, and to put yourself ahead of the competition, you're doing in a professional way."  

For best results,  8 in ten employers surveyed said:

• Customizing an application with information specific to a job posting gets their attention first.
• Keep it professional. No cute email addresses and no emoticons.
• Make it easy to read with bullet points highlighting your best skills.

Remember, your resume may have less than a minute in front of a hiring manager.  Make it a  good impression. You may not get a second chance.

Click here for more resume blunders, and how to avoid them.