Resume Tactics to Avoid

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As you create your resume there are certain things you should make sure you do:

  • Use action verbs
  • Show real results (numbers, percentages, etc.)
  • Remember that it’s a sales too, not a history of all the jobs you’ve held.
  • And so on.

Below are some things you never should put on a resume as well as tactics that are best avoided.

  • Demand that certain requests be met, such as a certain amount of paid time off, tuition reimbursement, etc. before you’ll even consider working at a company.
  • A resume longer than two or, at the very most, three pages. One page is best.
  • Photos, especially of your family members and pets.
  • “Cute” e-mail addresses (examples: sexydancer@, dannylovesbeer@, even JohnSue1@). Instead, aim to have an email address that’s just your name: JaneSmith@, Jane.Smith@, SmithJane@, etc.).
  • Including references you know will give you a poor one (such as when you are fired from a position). Honesty is good, but be judicious when it comes to references. Call everyone you plan to list as a reference and ask them if they will give you a good reference. If a reference can’t give you a good one, don’t list it.
  • Don’t submit poetry, song lyrics, short stories, etc. (people have actually done this).
  • Don’t use the same resume for every job for which you apply. You should tailor your resume to each job, highlighting the skills you have that best fit each position’s requirements.
  • Don’t create your resume and send it without sending it to yourself first. How does it look when it arrives as a document? Does the formatting go all to pieces? Consider making it into a PDF.
  • Don’t forget to proofread it for typos and grammatical mistakes.
  • Don’t lie. Don’t exaggerate. Don’t create jobs, duties and skills you never had/don’t possess.

If you need help creating a great resume, contact a recruiter at RealStreet Staffing. We love helping construction, architecture and engineering professionals looking for work in the Washington DC area and we’d love to help you. We look forward to hearing from you!

RealStreet saved us more than once with temporary help on some of our most demanding construction projects, particularly when we needed experienced, responsible and professional individuals on such short notice. We were particularly grateful for the Quality Control Manager (QCM) you were able to provide while our full-time QCM was on short-term disability, at the Read More…

Michael S. Shevitz, LEED Green Associate, Vice President

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