Making a resume might seem like a simple task on the surface. But it often requires keen attention. You have to mention your skills along with your experience while still keeping everything concise and readable.
A resume has limited space. You have to choose strategically what information to include. Also, you need to describe your experience in a very convincing way. The challenges do not end here. There are others as well.
The good news is that there exists a practical solution to most of these challenges. Let’s discuss the five of the most common challenges and the ways to fix them.
5 Common Resume Challenges and How to Fix Them
The following are the most common resume hurdles along with the practical ways to fix them.
1. Deciding What Information to Add
This is one of the most common challenges faced while making a resume. People often try to include everything in the resume. However, it is not necessary to include every job, experience, course, and responsibility.
These are, after all, part of your professional history but not necessary elements for your resume. Recruiters usually want to know whether you are a good fit for the post. They don’t want to read your entire past story.
To overcome this, start by reading the job description carefully. Check for the skills and experience the employer wants. Then compare your background with these requirements and tailor your resume accordingly. Retain the details that support your application.
For example, if you are applying for a content writer position, then you should emphasize your writing, research, editing, and content experience. A short, unrelated course that you took a few years ago may not need to be included.
Older work experience can be skipped as well. Look for skills and achievements that are still relevant to the job you want. The aim is not to add more. You have to add what is important.
2. Struggling to Describe Your Experience
A lot of people face difficulty demonstrating their experience. And if not properly described, it can make the candidate sound less valuable than they actually are.
For example,
“Social media management.”
This shows the employer what you were responsible for. But it does not show the outcome.
A stronger version would be
“Managed social media content across multiple platforms and grew monthly engagement with a consistent publishing schedule.”
You can see that the second version provides the reader with more context. You have to mention what you managed and how your contribution improved the outcome.
If possible, you can add numbers as well, as they improve clarity. You could put in the growth percentage. However, use the figures wisely. Use them when they clearly represent your work. They should demonstrate your contribution.
3. Explaining Employment Gaps
This is one of the biggest challenges for some people. Employment gaps are often considered difficult to explain. They can happen for several reasons. You may have pursued education, worked on personal projects, or taken time away from employment.
However, there is no need to hide the gap and create confusion. You have to be honest and keep your details accurate. If you have relevant experiences during the gap period, include them where it is suitable.
For instance, freelance projects, professional courses, volunteer work, or independent projects may be worth mentioning if they are relevant to the position. You do not have to give a long personal explanation. Short and clear descriptions are usually enough.
Consider that you spent a year on professional training. You can put the relevant qualification in your educational qualifications or certification section. If you did independent projects, you can list those projects as experience where appropriate.
Your first goal should be clarity. A gap, for no reason given, may leave the reader wondering what happened. A clear timeline gives them the information they need without making the resume seem defensive.
4. Making the Resume Scannable
A resume doesn’t need to be unnecessarily long to sound good. It can be concise while still showing your skills and experience. Long paragraphs are not preferable for a resume, as they make it difficult to read.
Recruiters often scan the resume first to identify the key points before reading it in detail. Bulky sections can make your resume difficult to read. So, look at each section and ask yourself if it is necessary. Remove duplicate points. Cut long descriptions. Convert large chunks of text into concise bullet points.
You can also get assistance from summarizing tool to make your lengthy text concise. It condenses your text and highlights the main points, which can help you identify the information worth keeping.
5. Tailoring the Resume for Different Jobs
It’s not a good practice to submit the same resume every time you apply for a job. Applying for different jobs might leave you wondering which parts of your experience to include in your resume. It may need changes according to the post for which you are applying.
For instance, consider a graphic designer who wants to apply for both a branding role and a UI designer position. For the branding role, he needs to show his experience with logos or marketing and social media designs. But for a UI design role, he should showcase relevant interface designs or prototypes.
Alter your resume according to the job post to match the employer’s requirements. When doing so, read the job description carefully. Check for the skills and experience the employer is looking for. Then, edit your resume to match them.
However, you don’t have to fake anything just to make yourself a good fit. You have to be honest with yourself and add only what you actually have. The goal here is to present your real experience in a way that fits the job for which you are applying.
Summing Up
Making or editing a resume often requires a keen focus. You have to check everything for accuracy and make sure it is presentable. Some people struggle with deciding which information to include. They often include many unnecessary personal things in the resume that add no value. Such things should be avoided.
Describing your experience is another challenge that people face. If not described properly, it can make you sound less valuable. Also, giving a satisfactory explanation for your employment gaps is another challenge. You have to be honest and keep your details accurate.
You have to read the description carefully and include your experiences that are relevant to the position. These are some of the most common resume challenges people face, along with their practical solutions. These simple fixes can help you make your resume better and more relevant to the job post.
