October 24th, 2014
Administrative professionals are the heart of ensuring a work environment runs smoothly. Employers put a lot of trust into their admin professionals to tackle the daily operations of their businesses. When you’re searching for a new admin position, it’s essential that your resume demonstrates that you’re a qualified and detail-oriented candidate. Put your best foot forward by avoiding these top five resume mistakes admin professionals tend to make:
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Not Thoroughly Proofreading
Admin professionals are responsible for paperwork, managing schedules, and other tasks that require attention to detail. Submitting a resume with errors could lead potential employers to doubt your ability to communicate effectively or submit accurate work. Treat your resume with the same care you would give an important report for your boss, and proofread it carefully before submitting.
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Skipping Keyword Optimization
It is important to include the same descriptive words or phrases from employer job descriptions in your resume so they know without a doubt that you’re qualified. Even if you’re essentially saying the same thing, utilizing the correct keywords in your resume will catch the employer’s attention more quickly. Also, if the employer uses applicant tracking software, the system may automatically filter out resumes that don’t contain the exact keywords set for the position.
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Making It Overly Lengthy
Research has shown that hiring managers spend an average of just six seconds initially scanning a resume. If your resume is multiple pages or has too much text crammed into it, you risk the hiring manager not being able to easily absorb the information. Pick and choose wisely which specific admin job duties or skills to include – add the ones that make you stick out from other candidates, not every task you’ve ever performed.
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Not Formatting It Correctly
Skip the fancy formatting with images, boxes, or unusual fonts – while it’s understandable to want to stand out and prove your technology skills as an admin professional, venturing outside of standard formatting could backfire. Hiring managers may require you to upload your resume into their applicant tracking system, which may not recognize formatting. Stick to basic formatting with standard font and use bullet points or lists to space out your information for maximum readability.
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Not Customizing It
Don’t rely on the same generic resume for every admin professional job for which you apply. While the information should always remain accurate, personalize it to highlight your qualifications that best fit each potential employer’s individual needs. For example, you would highlight your communication skills if the main duties of the admin position called for talking to customers, while a more paperwork-focused job would be more suited for highlighting your record-keeping skills.
Are you on the hunt for a new administrative position? Team up with PrideStaff Fort Lauderdale for your job searching needs. As a staffing firm serving the Fort Lauderdale area, PrideStaff Fort Lauderdale can help match you with the opportunities that are the best fit. Search our current available positions today.