
Telltale Signs of a Terrible Resume
Telltale Signs of a Terrible Resume
From outright lies to blatant typos, these resumes represent some all-time resume blunders.
Suspect
77% of survey respondents said they’ve found a lie in a resume.
Quick Read
43% said they spend less than a minute looking at a resume, and 24% spend no more than 30 seconds doing so.
Resume Boosters: Tailor-Made
63% said they’ll pay more attention to a resume if it is customized to an open position.
Resume Boosters: Talent Tally
41% said they pay more attention if skills sets are listed first.
Resume Boosters: Introduction Opportunity
40% said they pay more attention if a cover letter is included.
Major Mistakes: Spell Check
An applicant wrote that he had great attention to detail—while misspelling the word, “attention.”
Major Mistakes: Convict Candidate
An applicant claimed he worked at a federal prison, but a background check indicated he was actually incarcerated at one.
Major Mistakes: Fairy Tale
An applicant stated he had been a prince in a past life.
Major Mistakes: In a Galaxy Far, Far Away …
An applicant quoted Star Wars in his resume.
Major Mistakes: Major Motivation
An applicant said he would work harder – if he got paid more.
Major Mistakes: Nicotine Fix
An applicant listed “smoking” under the category of “hobbies.”