Is it Possible to Oversell in Your Resume?

Resumes can be tricky – while you want to highlight all your accomplishments to show that you are the best candidate for the job, you don’t want to oversell yourself and risk turning off recruiters. Finding a balance is key. Think of writing a resume as marketing yourself to a potential “buyer”; no one likes a pesky salesman who won’t stop repeatedly pitching their services.

Including irrelevant information or exaggerating your merits is almost definitely the fastest way to ensure your resume gets tossed aside. Do not let that happen to you; let a professional help build your resume. In this article, will highlight some ways you can avoid overselling in your resume.

Read Your Resume Aloud

To know whether or not you a sentence or phrase is overdoing it, read it out loud. If you wouldn’t say it in person to an interviewer, don’t include it in your resume. Be careful about overusing adjectives such as “reliable” “creative” and “professional.” It is okay to include them once in your opening sentence but not again after. Let your accomplishments speak for themselves. If the projects you have worked on demonstrate your creativity, the recruiter doesn’t need to be told that again. Focus on how you can use your skills and talents to further the company’s goals and needs.

Be Concise

There are varying schools of thought as to how long a resume should be. Some professionals have more experience than others, meaning their resumes may exceed a single page. Still, make sure your resume only contains relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments to the job for which you are applying. Irrelevant information will be seen as just that and may be cause for a resume to be tossed aside.

Do Not Lie or Exaggerate

Some people think that exaggerating is not the same as lying and therefore feel justified in doing it. For instance, if you worked on a project as part of that group, clearly state that fact instead of claiming it was all you. Embellishing employment dates to cover up periods of unemployment is also ill-advised.

Omit Out Photos and References

Unintentional discrimination on factors like age and race can cost qualified applicants a job. While hiring managers may see your photograph on LinkedIn or may reach out to references if you provide them when asked, providing them with this information out of the gate is unnecessary and may lead to applicants being overlooked.

Perfect Your Resume with A Professional

If you recognize any of the above overselling mistakes in your own resume, it is time to make a change. Don’t let simple mistakes on your resume to cost you a job for which you are otherwise qualified. At USA Resume, we have a successful track record of satisfied clients and can help you build the best possible resume that showcases your experience and accomplishments.

Review our selection of services and contact us today so we can work with you to write a resume that could land your dream job.