Despite all of the “hoopla” about networking, about a LinkedIn profile, and about alternative paths to obtaining interviews and offers, the resume remains the one constant in all job-seeking activities. There is just no getting around it – that resume is a huge factor in presenting yourself, and it is still the most important introductory piece that you have. Given that it is so important, you obviously want it to really “pop.” You also want to be aware of the common mistakes that get resumes tossed and candidacies “killed.” Here are the 5 worst mistakes you can make.

Grammatical and Typo Errors

Really? Even though this is repeated to candidates over and over again, HR personnel continue to list this as a huge “red flag.” Why? Because if you cannot take the time to ensure that your resume is perfect, then what kind of an employee will you be? Resumes with these kinds of errors tell a reader that you are just plain lazy and that you really don’t have a commitment to being your personal best.

Fixing This: Don’t take any chances. Using Word spell and grammar check is not enough. The wrong word spelled correctly will not be caught by this method; grammar errors are often not caught. You have to have a better method. Either have a friend who is a grammar and spelling “whiz” review your resume, of send it off to a professional writing service to be evaluated. And be careful when you do this as well. There are lots of writing services that offer resume writing and editing, but if you land on a web page of one of them and you see any grammatical errors in the text, run away fast. These are run by foreigners who do not have true expertise in the English language. Get a professional service that you can trust. There is just no excuse for any error of this type on your resume.

Embellishing or Outright Lying

Big mistake! If you make the “cut” and are being considered for an interview, do not think for one moment that the “checking” doesn’t begin right then and there. Suppose, for example, that you change the title of your last position with a company – it sounds better in your mind so you just do it. An HR specialist will certainly pull up the company website and begin looking for that position title, which, of course, will not exist. How embarrassing for you, but, worse, your resume will be trashed and you will never get an interview.  Even worse than that is lying about your achievements or fudging the dates of employment in order to cover up gaps. These will all be discovered and you will be seen as an untrustworthy person – not someone that any organization wants to bring on board.

Fixing This: The solution is really simple. Be honest to a fault. List the position title correctly. Allow those “gaps” to show up. Employers see gaps in employment all the time, and it is not a “deal breaker.” The reasons for those gaps can be discussed in an interview, and you will be prepared to discuss them, of course.

One Size Fits All – Not!

If you think that you can craft a single resume that will fit every job opportunity for which you may apply, then you are living on some other planet. The whole job search thing has become far more sophisticated than you obviously realize. Just as an example, resumes are no longer screened by live human beings. They are screened by software programs that are looking for certain keywords and keyword phrases. Resumes that do not include them will be screened out before a human ever reads them.

Fixing This: Read the job description carefully and take note of keywords that speak to skills and background that are important. Get on the company website and look at things like mission statements and goals. These places will give you the keywords you need to insert into your resume. Revise that resume accordingly. Also, you must get a “feel” for the company culture. Your resume design should be compatible. For a conservative traditional organization, a traditional resume is in order. For a new graphic design company, the resume should be creative and non-traditional. Match your format to the organization.

Focusing on Tasks Rather Than Achievements

No one really cares about your task responsibilities. They care about what you have actually accomplished in each position you have held. Long lists of responsibilities taken from your current or old job descriptions are boring and tell a reader nothing.

Fixing this: Dump the listing of tasks. Use actions verbs and detail what you achieved. Were you able to decrease employee absenteeism and turnover by a certain per cent? Did your efforts result in a percentage of increased sales? These are the things that sell you.

Career Objective Statements – Lose them

Again, no one cares what your goals are. They care about what you can offer to the organization. It is not about you – it is about them!

Fixing This: The solution is simple. Do not put a career objective/goal statement at the top of your resume. In fact, do not put it anywhere. Instead, demonstrate by your experience and your achievements what benefit you will be to the organization. What do you offer them? What problems can you solve for them? Get the focus off of yourself and onto the organization.

Fixing these common errors will go a long way in making you a more viable candidate. A resume is a document that reflects both art and science. If you don’t get it right, you don’t get the interview. And if you don’t get the interview, you don’t get the job. If you are not getting calls for interviews, you need to take a long hard look at that resume and assess it against this list of mistakes.