5 Resume Mistakes Telecommuters Often Make
By Nell Taliercio |
Finding a legit telecommute job can be difficult. Telecommute jobs are in high
demand and hundreds if not thousands of other people are competing for the same
position.
So how do you stand apart from everyone else? Your
résumé.
Your telecommute résumé the first and often the only document a
potential employer has to make a hiring decision with. Here are some tips
specifically for your telecommute résumé to keep it on the employer’s desk and
out of “file number 13”.
I have consulted with telecommute résumé expert
Jennifer Anthony of RésuméASAP to get a list of the top five telecommute résumé
mistakes. Here they are!
1. Wild designs or frilly
fonts.
If you want to be taken seriously for consideration,
avoid using cursive fonts or cutesy clip art. Leave this to personal use; it
does not belong on business correspondence. Also, check your e-mail signatures.
You don’t want to send your résumé out and then sign your name “Mommy to Sean
and Sissy” with little angel graphics around their names.
2.
Résumé templates.
“I know for a fact that recruiters hate
templates and would rather rip their hair out than read templates”, Jennifer
Anthony
Recruiters and hiring managers spend their day (often overtime)
sorting through hundreds of résumés. Templates are hard to read, and the design
elements often don’t show up correctly on a monitor other than that your own.
Hiring managers need to be able to scan your document quickly to see if you are
qualified before moving on. If they can’t find out in 6-8 seconds, your résumé
is trash. It is better to start with a blank document and look at other résumé
examples for inspiration.
3. The selfish objective
statement.
If you are using the same old objective statement as
everyone else, your résumé may be thrown in the trash because you did not put
forth the effort to create a personalized résumé.
Here is an example
objective you should avoid:
“A telecommute position allowing me to
utilize my knowledge and expertise working from home.”
Why? This
statement opens up many questions. What kind of telecommute position? What is
your knowledge and expertise? Also take note that using the words “me” and “my”
sound very selfish. Instead of telling them what you want, you should be showing
them what you have to offer them.
Here is an example of what you can use
as your headline:
“Talented and experienced virtual assistant, skilled in
all aspects of office management within nonprofit environments.”
(More
headline examples can be found at RésuméASAP).
This is targeted and to
the point. The reader knows this person is an experienced virtual assistant who
is especially skilled in a nonprofit role. No wasted time.
4.
Irrelevant Experience.
Don’t list irrelevant work experience
just to fill in space. If you are applying for a transcription position, your
customer service experience at the local fast food restaurant does not apply.
What matters is how much transcribing experience you have, how fast you type,
how good your spelling and grammar skills are, and how accurate your work is.
Any work experience that deals with these skills can be
listed.
5. Personal Information.
Leave off
information like how many children you have, how long you have been married, or
that you happen to love scuba diving
Let’s look at children and spouses
for instance. Some people may see this as stability, but many others look at it
as a liability. They may have questions about how you will work out for them
with the responsibilities. How often will this person miss work because his/her
kids are sick? Is his/her spouse supportive of the telecommuting role? Can
he/she work efficiently if the children are home? Employers are not allowed to
ask, so why put this on your résumé. Personal information should be left
off.
If you write that you love scuba diving, you may think this makes
you look like a well-rounded person. However, it could give someone the idea
that you love scuba diving more than work. It is best to just leave this kind of
info off.
About the
Author
Nell Taliercio is the owner of
a leading work at home mom resource website packed full of unique information
for the telecommuter, business owner and virtual assistant. Visit
http://www.mommysplace.net today!
For more resume resources please visit
http://www.mommysplace.net/resumecenter.html
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