Common Mistakes in an Academic Resume and How to Avoid them

Wondering how to distinguish your application from others in a pool of thousands of applicants at your dream university abroad? Well, start with your resume. It is that document which will create your first impression on the admissions committee (Ad Com); therefore, you must strike the right chord. Other than knowing what to include in a resume, also understand the common resume mistakes to avoid. A perfectly drafted and error-free resume surely goes a long way in casting a positive and favourable impression of your candidature on the Ad Com.

The purpose of an academic resume is to summarise one’s academic and professional experiences. You will be required to submit it while applying for further studies abroad because it will help the authorities in evaluating your achievements and deciding if you are a good fit for the program and the institution. If you submit an impressive resume, outlining your potential successfully, then your chances of getting an admit increase substantially.

In this article, we will be focusing on the common resume mistakes to avoid, which will assist you in preparing an outstanding resume.

Related Links:

• How to Prepare Resume for MBA Application
• How to Prepare Resume for MS Application
• How to Prepare Resume for UG Application

Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid for Study Abroad

Here is a list of common mistakes that are found in resumes and how to avoid them:

Grammatical and typographical errors: A lot of students tend to overlook the grammatical errors and typos in a resume. It is imperative to proofread the resume several times before submitting it to the university.

Very small font size or illegible fonts: To fit everything into the prescribed space, students tend to eliminate the margins or use smaller and stylish fonts. Please avoid this and use serif fonts. The most acceptable font and sizes are Times New Roman or Arial 11 points. In case, you need to reduce the font size, say to create a one-page resume, the minimum that you should go for is 10 points. Write your name in 12 or 14 point size and use 10 point size for address and contact details.

Margins wider or shorter than required: Normal margins (one inch on all sides) are usually required and suggested. Making margins wider than that will squeeze your content in the middle of the page and make it look cluttered. Similarly, narrow margins will also give a disoriented look to the document.

No gap between headings: To give your resume a clean appearance, leave a line after each section in the resume. This will enhance the readability of the document, which, of course, will work in your favour.

Using paragraph format: Avoid writing in paragraphs; always use bullet points.

Use of personal pronouns: Among the common resume mistakes to avoid, using personal pronouns tops the chart. Generally, students are not aware of the fact that personal pronouns like I, me, myself, us, and we, are not to be used in resumes.

Complicated structure: Following a proper format is a must. The reader should feel a logical flow and an ease while reading your resume. It should be comprehensible without any textboxes/tables, special formatting, or graphics. Making your resume colourful, fancy or dramatic is never appreciated by anyone, especially the Ad Com.  

Providing unnecessary/ irrelevant/ outdated details: While it is important to know what goes in a resume, one must be equally cautious of what not to include. Avoid details on irrelevant matters and do not showcase experiences/ achievements that happened far back in time; this is one of the common resume mistakes to avoid. Highlight the most significant and latest experiences and achievements, which are related to the program that you are applying to, at a particular university. Mention the relevant details such as your work experience, education details, research experience and other important aspects of your profile.

Lack of specific information: Precise, accurate and specific information adds authenticity to the content. Hence, the information that you provide in a resume should answer ‘what’, ‘where’, how and ‘when’. For example, what was the award that you received, where did you receive it and when?  A resume with specific information will always be preferred over a generic resume.

Just listing out your job responsibilities: Your role/contribution to your team/organization, should not be just ‘listed’. Rather, it should be presented as your accomplishment. Quantifying helps in this regard; do not simply state what you did; talk about the outcomes/results of your actions. 

Too long or too short! A resume should be neither too short nor too long. If you do not have much content, limit the length to one page. Otherwise, for an undergraduate or Master’s program, a 1.5-page to two-page resume is ideal. If you have lots of details, try to club them together or add the most relevant ones. Avoid stretching the length. Not giving much thought about the length of the resume is one of the common resume mistakes to avoid.

Absence of strong actions verbs: Step away from the ordinary and use impressive action verbs. When you start your bullet points with verbs like ‘initiated’, ‘steered’, ‘led’, ‘established’ or ‘created’, it will automatically demonstrate your leadership potential and innovative skills, along with an out-of-the-box approach. Try and use strong action verbs to begin each point.

Missing or incorrect information: Thoroughly check and recheck your resume. If needed, ask your teacher, family or friends to proofread the draft for you. You must ensure that your document has all the necessary and important information. Remember, in order to make an impressive resume, you must know your resume. Y ou should be clear about the ‘what’ and ‘why’ behind every piece of information that you are mentioning in the CV. Any incorrect/ false or misleading information should never be included as it will lead to a rejection directly.

Also, Read

• Difference between MS and MBA Resume
• Common mistakes Indian students make while applying to Top Universities Abroad
• How to Present Professional Experience in Resume