Print this page Send this to a friend Previous page

Job applicants warned: resume errors will impede New Year resolutions

Ref. PR-02173

Download PDF of media release >>

Errors on resumes will ruin job seeker’s chances of securing their dream role in the New Year, according to specialist recruitment firm Robert Half.

A Robert Half survey of 150 senior executives in the US has revealed three in four (76%) senior executives said it would take just one or two typos in a resume for it to cost an applicant the job.

Andrew Brushfield, Director of Robert Half in Australia is urging all job seekers to make it their New Year resolution to enter 2010 with a solid resume, free of typos, improper grammar and bad formatting.

Brushfield believes it’s important for candidates to get their resume right, not only because they’ll get overlooked but because it’s competitive to find work in today’s job market.

“Employers today are examining resumes with a fine tooth comb, with most on average spending more than six minutes screening each resume received.

“This marks the importance of making sure your resume is a hundred per cent perfect. Employers view resumes as a reflection of the applicant. If you make errors on your application, employers assume you’ll make mistakes on the job,” he said.

Robert Half’s tips for creating error-free resumes include:

  • Get help: Enlist family members, friends or mentors to proofread your resume and provide honest feedback.
  • Take timeout: Before submitting your resume, take a break and come back to it with a fresh set of eyes. You might catch something you missed the first time.
  • Print a copy: It’s easy to overlook typos or formatting mistakes when reading a resume on a computer, so print it out for review. Read through it slowly and pay close attention to spelling, grammar and consistency in font styles and sizes.
  • Try a new perspective: Sometimes readers inadvertently skip over parts they have read previously. Reading your resume backwards helps avoid this problem.
  • Read it aloud: Your ears might catch errors your eyes have overlooked. 

“Unfortunately, some job seekers don’t realise that typos and other slip-ups are easy to make and won’t always be caught by spell-check. With such intense competition for jobs today, there is no room for error,” said Brushfield.

Errors received by Robert Half in the past include applicants writing, “Hope to hear from you, shorty, “I have a keen eye for derail,” and “I’m attacking my resume for you to review.”

“Simple mistakes like these are very costly,” concluded Brushfield.

-ENDS-

Contact Us

For further information, please contact Rachelle Beneke, Marketing & PR Manager on 02 9241 6255.