5 Biggest Mistakes on a Resume with BOLD Advisor, Hugo Ottolenghi
Formatting a resume and knowing what should go on it can be a tricky situation for anyone, especially college students. BOLD had the pleasure of hosting an interactive resume workshop on Tuesday, September 20th with FIU professor and BOLD advisor, Hugo Ottolenghi. Professor Ottolenghi prepared a presentation titled “The 5 Biggest Mistakes You Are Making on Your Resume”. Through this workshop, the members were given new insight as to what a professional resume should look like. They took away many tips and tricks to stand out in the pool of candidates for the jobs and internships they are aiming towards.
To kick-off the workshop, Ottolenghi presented an example of a resume and had the members guess what was wrong with its content. Multiple people participated, shared their thoughts, and were able to learn why these elements should be omitted. For example, a resume should never include a picture of the candidate as it can create a bias against them. Another good tip that members took away was that most resumes are scanned. Therefore, it is important to include keywords and try to not include graphics.
Moving along, Hugo Ottolenghi explained why putting job accomplishments over experiences was important. Accomplishments highlight what you were able to do within that job and how that can be implemented wherever you are applying for. Alongside, it is also important to remove any high school roles and clubs one participated in as it is no longer relevant. Throughout this section of the workshop, BOLD members were actively asking questions and gaining a better understanding of what a professional resume is. Ottolenghi shared an anecdote about a former student and how she was able to showcase her accomplishments within the job she had and how that landed her a job in the field.
The biggest takeaways BOLD members had from the workshop were:
- Describe duties, not accomplishments
- Don’t leave out the details
- Don’t have a profile anyone could use to describe themselves
- Hard vs. Soft Skills
- The reality as to why most jobs are not posted
Overall, BOLD members were given an amazing opportunity to learn of beneficial ways to spruce up their current resumes. The meeting was concluded by Hugo Ottolenghi mentioning the importance of spelling, stating complete names of schools or people, and being able to add a hint of color. If the members want someone to overlook their resumes, Ottolenghi has offered a helping hand. Students are now more prepared at structuring their own professional resumes and feel confident with them. BOLD will continue to be a resource to them in their journey of acquiring their desired job.
Click here to connect with Professor Ottolenghi!
BOLD is a student-run strategic communications agency at Florida International University. Click here to learn more.
Written by: Jefrany D’catry, Director of Public Relations