Resume Red (and Green) Flags

Have you ever wondered what employers are looking for when they review a resume? Recently, I’ve reviewed a lot of resumes. Some really caught my eye and I would end up looking over them several times. Some couldn’t hold my attention long enough to read to the bottom of the page.

The resumes which caught my eye started me thinking about what the candidate was like, how they could add to the organization, and how they would fit to the position I was reviewing for. All of those candidates received a phone interview.

On the other hand, the candidates whose resumes couldn’t hold my attention were ones that threw up red flags – things that immediately gave a bad impression or made me feel that they wouldn’t be a good fit for the position.

When you are creating your resume, here are some helpful suggestions to make sure you are throwing up green flags instead of red flags to a potential employer.

Red Flags:

• Employment duration of less than a year. We know we live in a working world now where people don’t stay with one employer for 10, 20 or 30 years. However, job hopping is still a huge red flag. Employers want to know that the potential hire will stay for a minimum of two years. Having a work history full of jobs that only lasted a year (or less) could turn a potential employer off. This pattern suggests that you wouldn’t be committed to the job, which makes employers feel like they wouldn’t receive a return on their investment in you. If this describes your work history, think of what you could include on the resume to suggest why you had to leave.
• Watch your ‘I’ statements. I like to see a candidate’s job duties and accomplishments, but I am picky about how this is worded. Too many ‘I’ statements can give the impression that you cannot perform well with a team. This doesn’t mean that you have to sell yourself short, though. Just make sure that your work history lists projects or responsibilities where you have performed independently as well as those where you were part of a team. An example of that second category: instead of “I plan, organize and execute community events,” try “Alongside my team, I lead and assist in planning, organizing and executing community events.”
• Grammar matters. You know to proofread your resume carefully. But after a while, repeatedly looking at your own resume can start to trick your eyes. Always have someone else check over your resume to make sure you don’t miss anything. Misspelled words and grammatical errors are red flags because they suggest that you do not pay attention to detail. Employers may take this as an indicator of your future work performance.

Now, for the “green flags” that create a better first impression:

• Show team involvement. What big team projects have you been a part of? Even if you were not the leader, you contributed something. You can describe not only what you personally did, but how this supported the project’s success and what you learned from the experience.
• Certificates, accomplishments, or awards. Listing your accomplishments communicates not only your hard skills, but that you are invested in expanding your knowledge and that you can stick to a goal. It’s okay to include coursework or programs that are still in progress; just note your expected date of completion.
• Bells and whistles. Is there anything cool or interesting that you think an employer should know about you? Hobbies, volunteer leadership, community involvement and other “extracurriculars” can help you stand out from other candidates.
• AI components. In today’s workplace, most organizations and businesses are using at least one AI platform, and that will only become more and more common. Make sure that your resume lists any AI skills or platforms that you have mastered, especially if it’s something that they are likely to be using (or considering adopting).

Your resume is your first opportunity to catch an employer’s attention. Always think about the impact you want to have, and catch their eye with green flags rather than red.

Sharine Sample is the Regional Workforce Development Manager at Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina. Learn more about Goodwill’s employment services here.