The BIG mistake everyone makes on their resume. And how to fix it.

Resume writing is one of the hardest things about job hunting. Everyone knows that Hiring Managers barely read them. And yet, you are expected to deliver an application that really stands out.

If your goal is to stand out on your resume, then I want to share with you a BIG mistake you are probably making. And this mistake is causing your resume to blend in with everyone else. 

The BIG mistake 

The big mistake I see almost everyone make is in the language they use. Everyone over complicates it. 

Think about how we talk in the office. Corporate language is kinda obnoxious if you really listen to what we are all saying! 

It's all acronyms and buzzwords. We think it sounds clever. And maybe in the office it is.

But when it comes to resumes, buzzwords and corporate speak KILLS the vibe. Your resume not only becomes boring and generic, but when a Hiring Manager is reading it, it sounds exactly the same as 30 other resumes they read that day.

Speak in plain English

Because everyone is adamant on speaking in corporate jargon, it is the resume written in plain English (or whichever language you are using) that stands out. 

Let me give you an example. 

Here’s a personal profile I recently read on a resume:

Strategic Marketing Manager with 3 years proven experience in leading integrated marketing campaigns and social media strategy. Talented project leader proficient at collaborating with internal teams and external stakeholders to surpass business objectives.

It’s kinda boring right?!

And I guarantee there will be 10 other applicants who will have personal profiles almost exactly like this one. 

Here’s a better way (using plain English)

If you want a personal profile that doesn’t blend in with everyone else, here is how I would write it:

I've been a Strategic Marketing Manager for 3 years now, taking the lead on integrated marketing campaigns and making our social media shine. I love teaming up with everyone from our internal teams to our outside partners, all to hit those big business wins!

Can you see the difference?

The first one feels very stiff and corporate and like it was written for a quarterly earnings call. The second one feels more human, like an actual person wrote it.

People hire people, not resumes. So you want your resume to feel as human as possible.

And the best thing is, you can cheat! 

If you are struggling to speak like a human, ask a ‘robot’ to help you! Sometimes we are so caught up in talking in buzzwords and jargon that writing in plain english can be hard. So why not ask Chat GPT?

You can take your personal profile, chuck it in to Chat GPT and ask it to give you something less corporate. It won’t return the perfect resume BUT it likely will help you eliminate the buzzwords and get a tone better suited to a resume that will stand out from the crowd.

And if you give it a bit of an edit before you send it off, I’m confident you’ll find the right tone to make sure your resume stands out from the stack! 

Want more tips like this? If you are struggling to stand out from the crowd in your job hunt, the Creative Career Level Up might be the right support for you.