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8 Kerr Administration Building · (541) 737-4085 · www.oregonstate.edu/career
1. Too long. Most new graduates should restrict their
resumes to one page. If you have trouble condensing, get
help from a technical or business writer or a Career Services
professional.
2. Typographical, grammatical or spelling errors. These
errors suggest carelessness, poor education and/or lack of
intelligence. Have at least two people proofread your resume.
Don’t rely on your computer’s spell-checkers or grammar-
checkers.
3. Hard to read. A poorly typed or copied resume looks
unprofessional. Use a plain typeface, no smaller than a 10-
point font. Asterisks, bullets, underlining, boldface type and
italics should be used only to make the document easier to
read, not fancier. Again, ask a professional’s opinion.
4. Too verbose. Do not use complete sentences or para-
graphs. Say as much as possible with as few words as
possible. A, an and the can almost always be left out. Be
careful in your use of jargon and avoid slang.
5. Too sparse. Give more than the bare essentials, especially
when describing related work experience, skills,
accomplishments, activities, interests and club memberships
that will give employers important information.
6. Irrelevant information. Customize each resume to the
specific position you seek. Of course, include all education
and work experience, but emphasize only relevant
experience, skills, accomplishments, activities and hobbies.
Do not include marital status, age, sex, children, height,
weight, health, church membership, etc.
7. Obviously generic. Too many resumes scream, “I need a
job—any job!” Use language from the job description or the
company’s website to show them you are serious.
8. Too snazzy. Of course, use good quality paper, but avoid
exotic types, colored/scented paper, photographs, binders
and graphics.
9. Boring. Make your resume as dynamic as possible. Begin
every bullet point with an action verb to describe what you
have accomplished in past jobs. Take advantage of your rich
vocabulary and avoid repeating words, especially the first
word in a section.
10. Too modest. The resume showcases your qualifications in
competition with the other applicants. Put your best foot
forward without misrepresentation, falsification or
arrogance.
Top 10 Pitfalls in Resume Writing OSU Career Services
The Three Rs
The three Rs of resume writing are Research, Research, Research. You must know what the prospective company does,
what the position involves and whether you will be a fit, before submitting your resume. And that means doing
research—about the company, about the position and about the type of employee the company typically hires.
Research the company. Read whatever literature the company has placed in the career library. Call the company to ask for any
literature it may have, find out how the company is structured and ask what qualities the company generally looks for in its
employees. Ask if there are openings in your area, and find out the name of the department head and give him or her a call. Explain
that you are considering applying to their company, and ask for their recommendation for next steps. Thank that person for the
information, and ask to whom your resume should be directed.
The Internet is another key tool to utilize in your research. Most companies have websites that include information
regarding company background, community involvement, special events, executive bios and past annual reports.
Research the position. The more you know about the position, the better able you will be to sell yourself and to target
your resume to that position. If possible, interview someone who does that same job. In addition to finding out the
duties, ask if there is on-the-job training, whether they value education over experience (or vice versa) and what kind of
turnover the department experiences. Ask what they like about the position and the company; more important, ask
what they don’t like about it.
Finally, research yourself. Your goal is not just to get a job. Your goal is to get a job that you will enjoy. After you find out
all you can about the company and the position, ask yourself honestly whether this is what you really want to do and
where you really want to be. The odds are overwhelming that you will not hold this position for more than two or three
years, so it’s not a lifetime commitment; however, this first job will be the base of your lifetime career. You must start
successfully so that future recommendations will always be positive.
One last word of advice: Before you go to the interview, review the version of your resume that you submitted to this
employer. The resume can only get you the interview; the interview gets you the job.
