| Too often, an initial review of your resume by a | | | | Depending upon the field you are targeting, you may |
| prospective employer is more about uncovering | | | | be required to hold certain credentials. If you do not |
| liabilities and eliminating you from consideration than it is | | | | possess these qualifications, you prospects for |
| about identifying why you might be a highly qualified | | | | securing an interview for an available opening will be |
| candidate for the opening. | | | | severely hampered. If, nonetheless, you have done the |
| For that reason, your resume should be constructed in | | | | job before or believe that you are in some other way |
| a way that eliminates mention (if possible), | | | | qualified for the position, prepare a resume in a style |
| camouflages, or mitigates the impact of such liabilities. | | | | that accentuates your experiences and qualifications. If |
| Let us consider some of the major liabilities of | | | | the issue is lack of a degree, a listing of professional |
| prospective job candidates and what might be done to | | | | development courses, seminars, and programs that |
| minimize their effects. | | | | you have completed may bolster your educational |
| 1. Age | | | | credentials. |
| If you are a seasoned employee, references to your | | | | 5. Lack of Career Progression |
| age, including graduation dates and an employment | | | | Longevity within a company, highlighted by attainment |
| history that extends beyond fifteen to twenty years, | | | | of positions of increasing responsibility, is indicative of |
| allow the individual reviewing your resume to establish | | | | focus and drive on the part of the job candidate. |
| a clear sense of your age (at least to the extent of | | | | Conversely, prolonged existence in a particular position |
| calculating a minimum age). While age discrimination is | | | | depicts you as non-ambitious and/or ill qualified for |
| illegal, most employers view more youthful applicants | | | | promotion. Often, candidates who have been with an |
| as being more desirable for a variety of reasons. Don't | | | | organization for an extended period have, indeed, |
| give the prospective employer the opportunity to use | | | | taken on more responsibility with no corresponding |
| your age against you. Provide only enough information | | | | change in job title. If that is the case, the increases in |
| about yourself in your resume to interest the | | | | responsibility need to be incorporated into the resume |
| prospective employer in you and your qualifications. | | | | to provide the prospective employer a more accurate |
| Leave the remainder for discussion at the interview. | | | | picture of the candidate. |
| 2. Current Unemployment | | | | 6. Too Many Employers |
| Current unemployment, no matter what the duration, is | | | | Although it is certainly possible that one might have |
| almost always viewed negatively by a prospective | | | | valid reasons for changing jobs rapidly (employers |
| employer the longer the period of unemployment, the | | | | going out of business, etc.), listing a number of |
| greater the liability to the job candidate. If you have | | | | employers within a short span of time on your resume |
| been unemployed for more than a brief period of time, | | | | is another reason why someone reviewing your |
| the potential employer can view your marketability as | | | | resume might discard it, rather than contacting you to |
| suspect, making the assumption that companies are | | | | setup an interview. Many employers perceive |
| unwilling to hire you for whatever reason. Since most | | | | jobhoppers as individuals lacking the skills or emotional |
| people (employers included) are influenced by the | | | | and psychological stability necessary to maintain |
| thinking of others, a job candidate unemployed for a | | | | employment. If your resume lists a number of |
| prolonged period of time is viewed the same way as | | | | shortterm employments, consider eliminating some of |
| a house that has been on the market for an extended | | | | them. Even if some gaps remain, the overall impression |
| period "there must be a problem." Avoid, if possible, | | | | created by your resume will be more positive. |
| putting a terminal date on your most recent | | | | 7. Incorrect Spelling, Grammar, and/or Punctuation |
| employment, or prepare an alternative style resume | | | | A single word misspelled on your resume can signify |
| that does not display so prominently your dates of | | | | disaster for you. We once had a client who, in rushing |
| employment. | | | | to prepare his own resume, intended to type the word |
| 3. Gaps in Employment | | | | "warehouse". The copy he handed to the potential |
| If your resume displays significant gaps between | | | | employer actually read "whorehouse!" |
| previous jobs, then your marketability and potential | | | | Similarly, infractions of grammatical rules and improper |
| value come into question. Either you are taking | | | | punctuation, including capitalization and run on |
| extended vacations between jobs or are having | | | | sentences, can mean the difference between job |
| difficulties in finding new opportunities. Neither of these | | | | interviews and a phone that does not ring. Of all the |
| scenarios enhances your image as a job candidate. If | | | | potential liabilities, this is the easiest to correct. Make |
| you are displaying month and year dates on your | | | | sure you carefully review your resume and any other |
| resume, you may want to consider eliminating the | | | | documents you send to employers. A perfect resume |
| months and using only the year dates. | | | | dramatically enhances your potential for job hunting |
| 4. Lack of Educational Credentials, Certifications, or | | | | success. |
| Licenses | | | | |