{"id":15215,"date":"2024-04-01T15:11:01","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T15:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/01\/top-resume-mistakes-to-avoid-when-applying-to-jobs-times-of-india\/"},"modified":"2024-04-01T15:11:02","modified_gmt":"2024-04-01T15:11:02","slug":"top-resume-mistakes-to-avoid-when-applying-to-jobs-times-of-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/01\/top-resume-mistakes-to-avoid-when-applying-to-jobs-times-of-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Top resume mistakes to avoid when applying to jobs – Times of India"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jobseekers are filling their resumes with buzzwords to get past automated systems that are often the first screen on candidates, but it\u2019s turning off the humans.
Two-page CVs are now the norm compared to five years ago, according to resume builder LiveCareer, which analyzed its internal database of 50,000 resumes and found that lengthy skills sections were behind the change.\u201cTime management\u201d and \u201ccritical thinking\u201d are some of the most popular phrases.
Some recruiters aren\u2019t impressed.
\u201cI don\u2019t have time to sift through what is real and what isn\u2019t,\u201d said Katie Birkelo, senior vice president at recruiting agency Randstad, adding that lengthy skills sections are more confusing than impressive. \u201cIt\u2019s either a maybe or a no, right away.\u201d
Adding keywords to application materials has been around since recruiters and prospective employers began using automated screens, which became increasingly popular during the pandemic. But skills sections are getting much longer with the collision of skill-based hiring \u2014 a focus on what prospective candidates can actually do versus their previous job titles \u2014 and the buzz around using artificial intelligence for hiring.
LiveCareer, for its part, views growing resumes as a positive development. The group encourages applicants to take certification courses to lengthen hard skills sections with things like Python and JavaScript and add soft skills such as leadership and active listening to \u201cprovide a more holistic view\u201d of what they offer employers.
Younger generations are also breaking the once sacrosanct rule of a succinct, one-page resume because they think certain skills will pass AI screens, according to Jannette Swanson, who works at the career center at Vassar College. About one in four organizations use the AI for human resources, according to a January 2024 study from SHRM, with talent acquisition being the leading use.
\u201cThey\u2019re trying to learn how to play that game,\u201d Swanson said.
Donovan Harris, 27, a communications strategist in Washington, DC, who has \u201cmessaging\u201d and \u201ccommunication\u201d in his LinkedIn profile, says that his packed-with-skills profile has led to him getting jobs.
\u201cJust having those keywords obviously gets you in the door,\u201d Harris said. \u201cI know that people have found my profile from particular keywords or particular skills that show up on my LinkedIn. I have had recruiters reach out because of it.\u201d
With high-profile companies doing big layoffs and the labor market beginning to cool, some jobseekers who aren\u2019t having any luck are stacking their resumes with more skills.
\u201cI can\u2019t figure out why I\u2019m not getting calls, so I\u2019m just going to keep putting more on there,\u201d Birkelo said of the rationale.
Of course, hard skills like Java and Excel are vital to include, especially if you\u2019re in the tech industry, according to Mark Saltrelli, vice president of engineering recruiting at staffing group Kelly Engineering.
But the risk to resume stacking is that it can lead to \u201cstretching\u201d the truth, Saltrelli said. Candidates shouldn\u2019t rule out that recruiters and employers will put their skills to the test. Saltrelli requires coding proficiency exams before onboarding to ensure that applicants have been transparent.
\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t put something on there because you heard about it or because it\u2019s in high demand,\u201d said Saltrelli. \u201cIf there\u2019s no correlation between the skill set and the work experience, that\u2019s a red flag.\u201d <\/div>\n