Thomas A. Edison said, “A single sheet of paper can’t decide my future.” But hold on, he wasn’t talking about a Resume. You, too, would agree with us when we say resumes are essential. It is a known fact that a recruiter spends less than 10 seconds, on an average, on a resume. So, you’ve only a few seconds to make an impression.

This post is a continuation of our previous post – 6 Resume Mistakes That Could Make Or Break Your Career – Part 1.

In this post, we will talk about other 3 mistakes that people often make in their resumes that make them a part of 98% who get to face rejection at the initial screening level.

Mistake 4: Declaration

A declaration states that all the information you have provided is correct to the best of your knowledge, affirming that all the information provided is the truth.

Please take a look at these examples to get a better understanding of what we mean.

1. All information included in this resume is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

2. I hereby declare that all the information mentioned above is correct and accurate.

3. I solemnly declare that all the information provided in this document is free of errors to the best of my knowledge.

4. I hereby declare that all the information provided in this resume is in accordance with facts or truths to my knowledge. I take full responsibility for the correctness of the said information.

But how significant is this, it’s like you wrote an exam, checked it yourself, and even gave yourself an A+. Obviously, you would say you did not lie on the resume. First, it isn’t good practice. Also, if caught, you would lose any credibility, and could even be blacklisted in that company’s records.

Adding a declaration used to be common practice in earlier days, but it is discouraged now since it is not that relevant. It is better to change with changing times. A declaration is usually followed by the writer’s name and the date.

The company you are applying to will most likely conduct a background verification once you are hired. So, any kind of declaration is a wastage of real estate on your resume, nothing else. And remember, real estate is very expensive – be it on your resume or otherwise.

Mistake 5: E-mail ID

Your e-mail address may create an impression you make as you apply for a job and the first establishment of your personal brand.

A strong e-mail address can help recruiters find you. If an HR recruiter or hiring manager can’t find you easily, they are not likely to spend much time searching, when they have a massive pile of applications. There goes your chance of getting an interview.

It astounds me how “nice” e-mail ids candidates put on their resumes. Let’s take a look at a few of these.

1. Stoner_420@gmail.com– Unless you are applying for a job as a *rolling* manager, this isn’t the first impression you want to make.

2. hottie_69@gmail.com – You want to look professional, and your e-mail address, not helping. Don’t use the number 69 in your e-mail id, not even if that’s your lucky number or birth.

3. SearchingForWork@gmail.com – Searching? Yeah, that is why you submitted your resume, didn’t you? Also, this makes you look quite desperate.

4. rahulgoel@abcd.com – Do you realize that the people who run the network at ABCD company now know that you are looking for a job? Only if you want your boss to see that you’re looking for a job, use a company e-mail address. So, when your head fires you and a recruiter or hiring manager wants to send you a job description, your e-mail can bounce because you’re no longer at ABCD company.

5. ramshar1987@gmail.com – Including your birth or graduation might subject you to ageism, which can work against younger as well as older candidates.

Basically, avoid e-mail ids built around Sports – (CubsFan1908@gmail.com), City – (Kanpurgal2001@gmail.com), State – (pahadidelhite75@gmail.com), School Mascot – (Dawgs83@gmail.com), Music – (OneDireaction340@gmail.com), Nickname – (Sexaaa83@gmail.com), Pet’s Name – (Tommy22@gmail.com), Car – (jaguar68@gmail.com), Children’s names – (chunnu-munny@gmail.com)… all tough to find in an e-mail search.

And, yeah strict no for email IDs that have cool, dude, rockstar, great, etc. words in it.

Mistake 6: Photograph

Along with omitting details such as your nationality, marital status, political or religious beliefs, do not add your photograph to your resume. You might be a gym freak, always looking for an opportunity to flaunt those sharp features, but your resume is not the place to do that. To help you understand why you shouldn’t, here are two reasons.

1. It is not relevant: Resume is like a trailer or teaser before the actual release of the movie. If you can’t indulge the viewer, in this case, it’s the recruiter; then there is no point. Use your resume to sell yourself, your skills, and your abilities rather than your appearance.

Why fill space unnecessarily with a photo that is not relevant to your job application (unless, of course, you’re a model or an actor)? But if you want to land a job in the analytics field, your looks might not be a contributing factor to your getting a job, your skills will certainly be.

2. Might lead to Discrimination: Whether intentional or not, a photo on your resume could lead to discrimination based on age, race, gender, or other factors. Why give an employer any reason to ignore your skills and experience by focusing on your appearance?

These are some of the examples that could be deal-breakers and could keep you from getting the job you so desperately want.

If you have been making these mistakes too, you need not worry. AI Monks presents to you our Resume Building packages at affordable prices. We can help you rectify any blunders that have been holding you back from getting your dream job.

We have helped thousands of candidates land a job with a careful, customized and focused CVs. We believe we can help you too. We care about your needs. Reach out to AI Monks at info@aimonks.com today to move a step forward towards getting that dream job.