Avoid these resume mistakes with help from Talk About It Tuesday (TAIT) 

From application advice to insights into day-to-day work at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Talk About It Tuesday (TAIT) is here to offer viewers learn more about VA and how to better navigate the federal hiring process. 

Hosted by VA National Recruiter Mike Owens, TAIT airs each week at noon ET on the VA LinkedIn page, taking time to discuss VA job opportunities and providing career advice to potential applicants.  

During a recent episode, Mike broke down some of the most common resume mistakes he’s seen in his time as a recruiter, and shared how you can avoid making them yourself.

Mistake #1 – Errors, not edits

The most common mistake out there is errors — those troublesome typos that pop up in your work from time to time.

With 58% of resumes out there sporting at least one error, it’s understandable to come across a misspelling or an incorrect verb tense. However, when you start finding multiple errors in a resume, that’s a red flag for a lot of professionals in human resources (HR).

“If I get a resume and they have a bunch of errors and a bunch of typos, to me as a hiring manager or as an HR professional, it signals a lack of attention to detail and it undermines professionalism,” Mike explained.

So, what can you do? If it helps, have a friend proofread the information for you. Also, don’t hesitate to read your resume out loud — the ear will catch what the eye might miss. Finally, try reading your resume backwards, which will force you to focus on the individual words and keep your brain from filling in any gaps.

Mistake #2 – Broad, not bespoke

Next on Mike’s list was using a generic resume — a no-no when you’re applying for any job, let alone a federal position like those here at VA.

While it is helpful to have a master resume covering all your work experience, that document will do you no good if you use it to apply for every single job, because every hiring manager is going to want to know how well you fit their specific position. No position is generic, so no resume should be, either.

“Your resume has to match what the hiring managers looking for,” Mike stressed. “We always talk about this. Yes, you must tailor your resume. It’s a must. There are over 200 people that are applying for these jobs and if you want to be the best of 200 people, you have to put in the work.”

That means, for each job that you apply for, going into your resume and updating the summary and objective to match the job description. From there, adjust your resume to highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job at hand.

Mistake #3 – Information, not impact

The third most common mistake Mike has seen is not establishing impact with regards to achievement — how what you did in the job made a difference.

As we all do with our resumes, we take the time to highlight the responsibilities that come with each role. However, a more impactful resume will showcase quantifiable achievements, and show the hiring manager how successful you have been in previous roles.

“Just saying, ‘I’m responsible for managing staff,” that’s just a bullet point,” Mike explained. “But saying that you managed and trained how many staff members, and because of the way you did things, you were able to reduce turnover by 15%, that shows cause and effect.”

So, as you’re tailoring your resume, showcase what you did but also how it impacted the company. Focus on your positives, using specific numbers if you have them and quantifiable goals. Remember that you’re putting your best foot forward, so don’t be humble about your accomplishments.

See for yourself

Join us each week for a new episode of Talk About It Tuesday, where you can learn more helpful application tips, and find out what it’s like to work at VA from our fellow VA employees. Learn more at VA Careers.