Server Boards

Posting a Resume to Online Job Board

The first step to securing a position by via an Online Job Board is writing a professional resume that stands out from your peers and does not include any major gaffes. Although most candidates know this, many still do not write and post a resume that is mistake free. Here are ten top mistakes to avoid.

Bad Grammar and Spelling Errors – spell checking is a foregone conclusion but many candidates either forget to do this or ignore the importance of using a spell checker. For grammatical issues, have 2-3 people read your resume and critique it.

Formatting – this mistake falls under the "no brainer" category but many people forget to use the same font in their Titles, Section Headers and actual Body of the resume, which makes for a sloppy resume. Check your formatting carefully prior to uploading your resume to an online job board.

Best Foot Forward – don't hide your success; show a hiring manager how you succeeded in previous jobs and what you've accomplished – be specific when/where you can with actual milestones you've achieved in your career.

Overly Wordy – be succinct and relevant when conveying information, as a hiring manager will not want to wade through lots of detail.

Gaps in Dates or Misleading Information – ensure all information in your resume is accurate and if you took time off from work for any reason let people know.

No Keyword Focus – many online job boards utilize back end technology that enables a hiring manager to deploy an automated search for a job candidate. Make sure you include keywords in the body of your resume that match the position you are seeking.

Personal Information – in most cases you should not include personal information such as age, race, gender, marital status, etc.

Irrelevant Information – you don't need to go back to your first job out of high school or college unless it is relevant to the position you are seeking. If it is not relevant then leave it out of your resume – you may want to touch on it during the interview process.

Contact Information – you would think most people would never miss this, but some do. Make sure you have all contact information featured prominently in your resume, with emphasis on digital and phone of course.

Social Networking Posts – more and more employers are doing searches on Social Networking web sites to do preliminary background research on a candidate. Be aware when you post to many of these sites your posts are legacy information, which may sit on a server for years for all to view.