Your College to Career Journey

For those of us whose mom or dad doesn't run his own FORTUNE 100 company, the first encounter that we have with representatives who decide whether we will ultimately decide our fate with the company will be through the resume.

If you can imagine the thousands of resume they get each month (sometimes even each day), it is not hard to see why they usually do not spend over 60 seconds deciding which pile (to call back or not) your resume belongs in. That means you have 60 seconds to make the best impression and get them to call you back to discuss a position further. So, don't get caught making the same mistakes as every one else with your resume!

Here are the 5 most common mistakes (and lesser known) and how to fix them now.

1. Resume uses a Microsoft Office Template (or any other template).
They are considered templates for a reason - it USED TO BE (maybe as far back as the dot com days) that you can plug in your strengths and experience, and some one will look at it, and give you a job. These days, using a "cookie-cutter" resume, is almost a sure way to ensure that your resume wont be given the needed attention.

The Lesson? Look at multiple resumes formats to see how they are formatted, but be original and create your own format. With that said, Include all the necessary information, but don't use the same hundred templates EVERYONE has access to. Your potential head-hunter will thank you for the change.

2. Your resume is printed with your passport photo and fancy Cursive font to show off just how creative you are.

Bad Idea! Yes, its important to be original, but this is hardly the occasion to show off your knowledge of all the fancy cursive fonts. First of all, most resumes will be read online. If it gets uploaded, all that creativity in paper choice will surely be a waste of time (and money), and all that creativity and designs on the resume may just make your resume hard to read.

The Lesson? Don't Be too Creative (unless you are looking for a position that requires a creative resume). Print your resume in regular 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper (unless you have over a decade of experience, you shouldn't require more than one page of paper), avoid any non-normal fonts (ie, use Arial, Verdana or Times New Roman). and please do not put a picture of yourself or something (worse: someone) you like. When it comes to formatting--Keep it simple and focused.

3. Your resume lists your accomplishment as an 10th Grade Associated Student Body Class Representative.

It often looks unprofessional to employers if you are well into your college years, and still mention all your high school accomplishments. It makes them wonder if you are trying to take up space, or more importantly, if you have lost creativity and leadership skills in the last few years. It begs the question of why you are not as involved now, and may actually work against you.

The Lesson? Although many of us have done (some) things we are proud of in high school, it is time to let it go, and reposition ourselves. Now that you are in college, list your accomplishments in college. You should work on joining clubs or working on short term projects to boost your resume so that you can cut the high school umbilical cord. Not sure you have enough material? List your interests and relevant course experience, emphasize what you have gained in your previous jobs (in a proper bullet-es fashion), or even state your relevant project experience. When applying to my first position in programming, I stated two projects I worked on and helped lead in the classroom setting, and the skills I gained from that. It helped me a lot, and I think it can help you!

4. Half your resume looks like an essay and the other half of the page is empty.

Most recruiters mention that they see this all the time....Either the margins are too big (which makes them wonder if you dont have enough information and are trying to trick them), or the resume ends abruptly, leaving over half the page empty. Do not show a lack of organization and thought by scrunching up all your information or not including what matters.

The lesson? First of all, dont try any crazy margin tricks (stick with the 1 inch margin all around)-- employers have seen every trick in the book, and its likely that they will pick up on yours. Second, I know that you must have enough material to format your resume properly and still use as much of the prime real estate in your resume as you can. See the previous point to find our tips on what to end if you dont have enough in your resume.

5. Your resume is not accomplishment-driven and rather, is project driven.
Its really important to remember that employers are human beings and they need to know that you are too. At the end of the day, they want to know that you pay attention to detail, work hard and learn from your past experiences (and hopefully, they will want you to have a decent sense of humor)! So, telling them all the details of your project or drowning them in technical jargon is likely to get your resume dropped from the list, so be careful.

The lesson? List things that you have learned in a subtle way. For example, instead of stating that you programmed the DTL design management protocol for the ABC, state that you used XYZ tool to complete a project that will allow users to do "A, B, C". Even if your employer or hiring manager is not familiar with the tools you are using, they know what you have helped make possible or even better, what you have helped lead.