Applying to hundreds of jobs with no response?

You might be making these common resume mistakes.

Note: this is part 2 of our resume mistakes series. You can read part 1 here.

Mistake 4: Not including an optimized LinkedIn link

Nowadays, recruiters are more likely to have a digital copy of your resume rather than having to sift through physical piles of paper.

This means you’ll have more opportunities to optimize - for the digital world.

For example, make sure to include a LinkedIn link - but the link should be optimized.

You need to make sure the link looks professional, like linkedin.com/in/GoodCandidate instead of linkedin/in/randomly-generated-username-here340958.

Not only that, but make sure your LinkedIn is a clickable link in the resume file.

Need help optimizing your LinkedIn too? Check out our tips here - one of the attendees applied our advice and had 2 recruiters message her that same week!

(Note: this advice also applies to portfolio links, YouTube links, and any other relevant links you’re sharing on your resume.)

Mistake 5: Not being professional

Untitled (Copy) (1).

Does that file name look familiar?

If that’s the file name of your resume, you’re guilty of making this mistake 😬

Make sure to rename your file something professional, like “LastName_FirstName_Resume.” This makes it easier for the recruiter to find your resume file on their computer, too.

Remember to make sure your email is professional too - please don’t have “[email protected]” under “contact info” on your resume. Unless you’re applying for a robotics company.

Mistake 6: Having 2+ pages

If you’re just starting out in the workforce or transitioning careers, your resume shouldn’t be more than 2 pages long.

Brevity is appreciated in business. If you can communicate important information in just 1-2 pages, you’re saving the other person time and showing yourself to be an efficient person.

Think of it this way: would you rather attend a 2-hour lecture or read a 10-minute summary of the same content? You’d get the same value out of both.

One way to keep your resume short is to make sure everything you put on it is relevant to the position you’re applying for. A 1-2 page resume is enough for most entry-level positions.

Bonus: Not using the 5 Whys

Data Analysts, remember the 5 Whys Analysis?

Basically, you’re presented with a problem and you ask yourself “why” 5 times to get to the root of the issue.

You can apply that to whatever struggles you’re facing in your job search.

Example:

My resume isn’t getting me the job.

Why?

I haven’t heard back from any recruiters…they haven’t given me feedback to improve.

Why?

Maybe they don’t have time…but I also haven’t asked others to give me feedback either.

Why?

I was scared to show people my resume.

Why?

I don’t think I am ready to show my friends and other professionals what my resume looks like.

Why?

I don’t feel very confident that my resume is good.

Here, you can see the root of the issue for this person is their self-confidence. They were struggling because they didn’t really believe in themselves.

Even though the issue seemed to be that they were struggling with the job search, the root cause maybe they are scared of being judged by others because they didn’t feel good enough. And this is why they don't seek feedback to improve, choosing to stagnate instead.

On that note…

In case you need to hear it today, you can do it ✨

Imposter syndrome and self-doubt are hard (especially when companies never get back to you), but trust me, nobody really knows what they’re doing either.

Just do your best, believe in yourself, and success will surely come.

If you need more inspiration, check out stories from our other students. One student, Christiana, applied to over 50 jobs. It was a very difficult process until she finally landed a job. You can read her story and advice here (it’s honestly very motivating).

Summary of resume mistakes

You can find mistakes 1-3 in this article.

4. Not including an optimized LinkedIn link

5. Not being professional (file name, email)

6. Having 2+ pages

Bonus: Not using the 5 Whys

Till next time,Jennifer