During my many resume writing and career marketing presentations to college classes, state job center groups, and AmeriCorps members, inevitably questions come up about resume strategies and assumptions about how resumes should be written.
I always begin my presentations by saying that what I tell them will perhaps sound contradictory to what they have read in books or even learned in classes but as a Certified Master Resume Writer, I can assure them that I have solid reasons and the backing of my profession for any advice I give.
The top 15 misconceptions about resumes
1. Your resume must be one page
2. Only use black print and no color
3. You need to write an objective statement
4. Don’t vary your formatting
5. Use a template
6. Never go beyond two pages
7. Everything should be bulleted
8. You don’t need a cover letter
9. The line references upon request should end your resume
10. You need personal data
11. You don’t need accomplishments, resumes are about duties
12. Don’t include charts or graphs in your resume
13. Don’t use testimonials or quotes in your resume
14. You don’t need a resume because you apply online
15. You don’t need a resume because you have LinkedIn
These are all incorrect assumptions and some of them could cause you to make fatal mistakes that will cost you a job. Each point has a link to another post I wrote previously with more information to help you understand the issues you face in writing resumes.