Overcoming Your Resume “Red Flags”

Your job qualifications should be what stands out on your resume, though sometimes resume “red flags” can cause undesirable distractions from the capable candidate you are. At JeffreyM Consulting, we review thousands of resumes in a year and have found that if a candidate can simply tell their complete story and own the decisions made, it can end up being a positive asset versus a “red flag”. Some topics are just hard to address – like how do you begin to approach an employment gap that you intentionally or unintentionally had 2 years ago? Or how do you explain multiple companies over a short period of time? It is important that when you are developing your resume, you are presenting your story in a way where you own your decisions, explain what you learned, and proactively address a potential employers concerns. Here are some typical “red flags” and how to overcome them:

• Job hopping. Short stints at an employer can be a red flag for some employers, but this brief time period may not tell the full story. At JeffreyM, we work with hundreds of consultants and clients on a variety of positions – some of which are short term and/or a contract role for a specific duration. Indicate such things on your resume to ensure the person reviewing has the full story, especially if the short stint was simply due to contract duration. If contract duration or a planned short project was not the case, focus on what you did accomplish during that time, along with what you learned from that company and leadership. It is important to be honest on why you decided to move on and bring it back to how it helped you grow professionally. Highlight how working in different industries or verticals got you to where you are today.
   
• Employment gaps. Some gaps are planned and others are not, but we all tend to have a lot going on even in those times of unemployment. Be sure you highlight how you filled that time – whether it was furthering education, volunteering or caring for a child. Earlier this year, LinkedIn even added Stay-at-Home Parent as an available job title! We often under value things we do outside of traditional employment but there are a ton of valuable parallels to draw from. Start by outlining how you filled your days and how it would translate into the workforce. For example, did you mentor a young adult that is getting ready to go to college? Outline how you helped them organize their college applications and edited letters of intent.
   
• Formatting and grammar. While the information on a resume should be what is most important, poor resume formatting and grammar can be a big red flag for employers and can create an undesirable first impression (especially if the position you are applying for requires writing, attention to detail, or other related qualifications). Luckily, this “red flag” is easily fixable. Be sure you have family or friends give your resume a onceover, and there are a lot of great online resources out there to assist in ensuring formatting and grammar/spelling is on point, such as Grammarly. Keep formatting simple so you can easily manage and not overlook anything.
   
• Unplanned departures. Don’t hide this from your potential employer, as the truth will likely come out through references. Instead be honest, leave your resentment and negativity in the past, and focus on what you did learn from the experience. Being resilient and turning a negative into personal growth will show the potential employer that you are coachable and not afraid to learn.