Whats the biggest resume mistake that job hunters make?
Relying too heavily on the same generic buzzwords every other candidate is using is one of the quickest routes to the round file, said Kristen Fife, a Seattle-based recruiter who works in the high-tech sector. “Instead of ‘excellent verbal and written communication skills’ I would prefer ‘trilingual (English, German, Dutch) marketing manager with experience creating localized international Web-based ad campaign resulting in a $3 million increase in revenue over six months across the entire business unit,” Fife explained via e-mail. In addition, “Don’t write ’10, 25 or 30 years of experience’ on your resume,” said Russ Riendeau, senior partner at The East Wing Search Group, an executive recruiting firm based in Barrington, Ill. “Years of experience doesn’t prove you’re good. Give impact, results, data.” In other words, tell them how many people you managed, how much money the department earned or saved thanks to you and the percentage you were able to increase customer retention or staf
