1. Job Description vs. Job Accomplishments

This is the number one mistake most college students make. They simply describe what anyone in their position (internship, leadership, or extracurricular) did, as opposed to what they specifically accomplished. If what is written in a resume can be written by the person who did the job before, with, or after you, then you haven’t done yourself justice. Resumes need to be infused with numbers, accomplishment and specificity.

2. Strict Chronological Resumes

Recruiting Directors skim over a resume in 10 – 15 seconds. They look at the first experience and then decide whether or not to keep reading. If a student worked as a waiter at the Olive Garden in the summer of 2007, but as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs in the summer of 2006, they should put the Goldman Sachs’ job first on their resume.

3. Entry layout

Like the point above, the most important information should be listed left to right. Often students write:

"2007-2008, Student Government Association (President)"

The reviewer may not even make it to the word President, which is of course the most important information. It should read:

President, Student Government Association, 2007-2008"

4. Skeeter McGee Honorary Scholarship

Students constantly include entries that they assume the reader understands. The reviewer does not know if the Skeeter McGee Honorary Scholarship was awarded because the student is related to Mr. McGee, or if it was awarded because the student is the most outstanding senior in the entire history of the school. Make sure you include a brief description of the award or scholarship after listing it on your resume.

5. Computer Skills

Every student includes them, but are they really necessary? At this point, putting down that you know how to use Microsoft Word is a bit like putting down that you know how to dial a phone. One out of ten students also put that they are familiar with the internet! Wow…impressive.

6. Objectives

If objectives are included at all they should be very specific – "to obtain a position in the marketing department of Pepsi." Fluffy ones like – "to use my outstanding communication, leadership and analytical skills to advance quickly through a large multi-national corporation" are wasted time and space. Anyone can write that.

7. Gimmicks, fancy paper and odd layouts

Laminated resumes shaped like a menu just tell the recruiting director that there isn’t a lot of substance in the content.

8. Multi page resumes

As a college student you need to get it all on one page. Make yourself think about what is most relevant to the reader. The fact that you were Treasurer of the Key Club in high school is no longer relevant as a college senior.

9. Grammatical/Spelling/Diction errors

You might as well drop the resume in the garbage. Simply no excuse!

For more resume advice, check out JobBound.

Brad Karsh is President of JobBound -, a company dedicated to helping job seekers with resume writing, interviewing, career coaching and landing that dream job. Author of Confessions of a Recruiting Director: The Insider's Guide to Landing Your First Job (Prentice Hall Press), Brad is considered one of the nation's leading expert on the job search.  Brad has been featured on CNN, FOXnews Chicago and CNBC and quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Chicago Tribune and many others. Brad is also a regular advice columnist for Yahoo! and AdAge. 

Presenting ideas, insight and tips for college graduates on how to find their first job
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