Part 1 of the Get Hired Series covers Resume No-No’s.
As a result of the pandemic tourism and travel took a direct hit and many of us have found our careers halted or sidetracked.
Some Philippine hotels closed temporarily, making their workforce redundant or putting them on furlough. Some hotels closed down completely. Others had to cut the size of their workforce.
Many of us are still reeling from this.
But the good news is that the industry is slowly but surely getting back on its feet! The Philippines’ domestic and international borders have already opened up. And as a result there is an uptrend of job openings.
If you are looking to dive right back into this dynamic industry, then now is the best time to start applying again. But first read my Resume No-No’s!
I have prepared some tried and tested tips including Resume No-No’s. These tips aim to help you get noticed in a sea of applicants.
You can position yourself for a successful job-hunting session through this Get Hired! series which will cover:
- Resumes and resume No-No’s
- Cover letters
- Calming nerves during the interview
- What to wear
- What to say
- Common interview questions and the best possible answers.
So, let’s dive right in with Resumes and Resume No-No’s
Before you even think about the entire hiring process, you need to get over the first hurdle: getting an interview in the first place!
How do you stand out among possibly hundreds of other applicants all vying for the same position? How do you get recruiters and hiring managers to sit up and take notice?
Or be interested In having you progress to the next stage of the hiring process?
Everything starts with a good resume and there are a few Resume No-No’s.
Hiring managers typically go through hundreds of resumes on a daily basis, and the majority already have a list of things they are looking for.
They will also have a list of things that make them cringe, or want to chuck that document straight onto the “no” pile. Or worse, the trash can or the shredder! These things are considered Resume No-No’s
So, let’s talk about Resume No-no’s. Or the things you should NOT do when making a resume, if you want to stand a chance at getting your feet in the door!
Resume No-No’s 1: Do not name your file “Resume.”
This is a simple mistake that can result in your resume getting lost in the hiring manager’s computer files!
We often don’t have a second thought about the importance of fully naming the file because it’s usually created on our laptop or computer. And it is our Resume.
But, with so many e-mail applications being sent on a daily basis, the hiring manager’s usually delete messages after saving the Resume file. Simply saving your resume as “resume” is a sure-fire way for it to get lost or missed. And that will lessen your chances of getting a call-back.
Rather than leaving it to the busy hiring manager to rename your file when saving it to their computer. Or trying to remember the correct name and spelling to rename it. It would be a lot easier for them if your Resume is already fully labeled.
Including your name in the file name (eg. “Angelica Maranan”) makes it quicker and easier for the hiring manager to locate your document in her computer should you pass the preliminary screening.
Resume No-No’s 2: Do not forget to proofread.
Nothing says “I don’t really care about this application” more than a resume filled with spelling and grammatical errors.
It also gives an immediate impression that you are careless, sloppy and don’t not pay attention to detail. None of these are characteristics that a hiring manager would want on their team!
It’s a short, one or two-page document. There is no reason for you not to proofread and make sure there are no errors in your resume.
There may be times when we are already ‘too close’ to the document. You know, when you have read it so many times that it’s tough for you to see mistakes.
So a good tip is to get someone else to go over your resume. A fresh pair of eyes can spot errors you might have missed or ‘not seen’.
Resume No-No’s 3: Do not include unnecessary information.
A resume is a short summary of your experiences and skills which are relevant to the job you are applying for.
Hiring managers do not need to know about the time you placed 2nd runner up in the Nutrition Month jingle-making contest. Or your spelling bee championship in elementary.
Stick to the job experiences, skills and qualifications that you have which are going to be useful for the particular job position you are interested in.
Your resume should be concise, easy-to-read and should only contain relevant information.
Resume No-No’s 4: Do not use weird photos.
This is a sneak preview for the recruiter of what you look like. So make sure that it will make a positive impression.
Some people say it’s unnecessary these days to include a photo along with your resume. But for the hospitality industry, it’s still an ongoing practice.
Recruiters want to see that you are presentable to guests, and need to visualize you as a part of the hospitality team.
That is why it is very important that you choose a good, flattering and professional-looking photo to include in your application.
Do not simply take a selfie or crop your photo from a group picture. Do not use a full-body photo either!
It’s best to invest in a nice photo taken in a professional studio with you wearing formal attire. This doesn’t cost too much to have done and it will be useful to you for many more years to come.
Resume No-No’s 5: Do not use unprofessional-sounding email addresses.
I get it, some of us are creatures of habit and may still be using the email address we created back in Computer class.
However, when you put on your resume or send out an application from “hotsexy_angel06@yahoo.com” or “purplepuppyprincess@yahoo.com,” it comes off as a bit unprofessional. Do you really think a Hiring Manager will take you seriously with an email address like that?
Creating an email address is super easy these days. It takes just a few minutes to set up and it’s absolutely free.
So, make a new email address that has your first and last name, and use that instead for your job applications.
It’s small details like this that are often overlooked that can turn off recruiters in just one glance.
Make sure not to make this mistake.
Resume No-No’s 6: Do not make your resume longer than 2 pages.
Again, recruiters are looking for the most relevant experience you have in relation to the position you are applying for.
Typically, a good resume should only be one page long if you are a fresh graduate. Or two pages if you already have some work experience.
Keeping your resume within two pages will help you eliminate unnecessary information and focus on the most important ones.
Nobody has time to go through three to four pages of irrelevant information.
Remember: it’s not the length of the document but what is in it that matters.
Resume No-No’s 7: Do not use quirky fonts.
That is not the way to stand out! A quirky font on your resume is one of the things that can immediately turn off potential employers.
You may have the best work experience and highly desirable industry skills, but the recruiter might not even get to read that if you use fonts such as “Comic Sans” or “Lucida Handwriting.”
Make sure to use easy-to-read and professional-looking fonts such as Arial, Verdana or Calibri.
Also, use an appropriate font size and do not put too many colors in your resume. The goal is to make it an easy read for the recruiter.
Resume No-No’s 8: Do not use low-quality paper or printers.
Your resume is not the best thing to scrimp on.
It’s a document that represents YOU, so might as well invest in it.
Use thick, good-quality paper and make sure your printer has sufficient ink and clean printing ‘heads’.
It’s best not to photocopy a resume but to print from the file. A photocopy can result in a dirty, off color or blemished, scraggy-looking document.
There is piso printing available everywhere, so there is no reason for you not to present a nice, clear document.
Resume No-No’s 9: Do not put your references’ personal information.
In this day and age of data privacy, you cannot be too careful with personal information. Especially the personal information of other people.
I’m sure you wouldn’t appreciate having your name, cellphone number and address plastered all over a document that could end up in the trash or anywhere prying eyes could see.
Your reference would not want that either.
These days, it’s not uncommon for resumes to no longer include references.
It’s no longer even necessary to include the phrase “references available upon request.”
If you reach that stage in the hiring process, the recruiter will be the one to ask you for that information if they would like to move forward with your application. You can just remove this portion in your resume.
Resume No-No’s 10: Do not lie.
Last but not the least, do not ever lie on your resume. And that includes exaggerating too!
A lie or exaggeration may look good and get you an interview. It may even get you the job. But the truth has its own way of coming out. It may not be immediately but eventually down the road.
There have been many people who lost jobs and landed in trouble for lying on their resume, faking credentials and even going as far as forging documents or certificates.
Just be your authentic self.
There is no need to pretend to be someone you are not.
Plus, it will be difficult to maintain this pretense once you are in the job. And you will live in constant fear of being discovered as a fraud.
Make sure to keep these ten tips and resume No-No’s in mind when writing your resume.
If you already have a resume, it might be helpful to go over it and amend any resume no-no’s before sending your application to potential employers.
Making sure that you have a carefully-curated, professional-looking document will help to get you that much closer to the hotel job of your dreams!
Read Part 2 of our Get Hired Series Hotel Interview Dress Code! for tips on how to prepare and dress for your interview.
