Engineers’ Resumes
When it’s hiring season companies look at resumes all day long, so it’s safe to say that they have seen it all. This of course includes everything they would rather not see again.
Every job seeker wants to impress their future employers and increase their chances of getting hired, that is why it’s important that you know what you should write down on that CV, and what you should avoid writing down as well.
So shelve those scientific calculators, pick up your pencil and time to sharpen those English grammar lessons.
Unnecessary Details
You may think that elaborating on every single part time job you’ve done during college, and using 2 paragraphs to explain each one would give you extra points to land that job, but you’re mistaken.
If you’re still in the early stages of your career, you may want to try to make your resume to look more impressive but recruiters can see right through this cover up.
The better thing to do is focus on what you’ve accomplished in your jobs, especially so if it has something to do with the job you’re currently being interviewed at. Instead of enumerating your duties, briefly explain to them what impact you had on the organization or company you worked with.
Vague dates
If you have gaps in your employment history, it’s alright. Life happens, and it can’t be helped sometimes. Just make sure that it is well presented on your resume (include the month and year), and have a clear explanation ready when asked. Unexplained absences can be problematic and confusing for the recruiter.
There are some job seekers who remove the months from their employment history, which makes it vague for the recruiter. It gives them a signal that the job seeker is hiding gaps in their employment history.
Generic objective statements
Have you ever written something so generic like this on your resume?
“Objective: To find a position in a dynamic and growing company to fully utilize my years of skills and experience.”
Well, it’s best to avoid it. Why? Because it doesn’t talk about your skills and experience, and it doesn’t make you stand out as well.
According to Mark Slack, career adviser and hiring manager at Resume Genius, it is not the objective statement that’s the problem, but it’s that people aren’t doing a good job of writing their own. “No one wants to read a brief sentence from an applicant about how he or she would like a job in your company.” Create a well-constructed career objective that makes you stand out. “A good career objective allows a candidate to briefly describe the main skills, qualifications, and experiences that make them an excellent candidate to forward the company’s goals,” Slack says.
“References available on request”
This isn’t necessary to add to your resume. If you have them, add them. If you don’t and the company you’re applying at needs them, then they’ll ask.
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