MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Job seekers should sweat
 the small stuff when creating their resumes, a new survey shows. One-third
 of advertising and marketing executives polled said typos and grammatical
 errors are the most common mistake creative professionals make on their
 resumes. Providing too much information was the second most prevalent
 error, cited by 23 percent of respondents.
     The survey was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing
 service that provides marketing, advertising, creative and web
 professionals on a project basis. It was conducted by an independent
 research firm and includes 250 responses -- 125 from advertising executives
 with the nation's 1,000 largest advertising agencies and 125 from senior
 marketing executives with the nation's 1,000 largest companies.
     Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "In your experience,
 what is the most common resume mistake made by creative professionals?"
 Their responses:
     Typos or grammatical errors                          33%
     Too much information                                 23%
     Ineffective resume layout or design                  16%
     Insufficient information                             14%
     Inaccurate information                                3%
     Information that's not targeted/job-specific          2%
     Other                                                 5%
     None/don't know                                       4%
                                                         100%
     "Employers often disqualify candidates when they spot even a single
 typo on a resume or cover letter," said Dave Willmer, executive director of
 The Creative Group. "Job applicants shouldn't rely on their computers to
 catch these types of errors. The spell-check function often offers a false
 sense of security -- it won't spot problems such as misused words."
     Following are some light-hearted examples* of resume gaffes that might
 have slipped by a spell-checker:
     o Languages: "Speak English and Spinach."
     o Cover Letter: "I prefer a fast-paste work environment."
     o Cover Letter: "I'm attacking my resume for you to review."
     o Duties: "I was the company's liaison with the sock exchange."
     o Cover Letter: "My work ethics are impeachable."
     Added Willmer, "Job seekers should think like editors when refining
 their application materials. This includes cutting information that doesn't
 add to the story they want their resumes to tell and ensuring the design
 and layout enhance the reader's ability to quickly understand their
 strengths and qualifications. An extra set of eyes is always helpful. In
 fact, having several detail-oriented friends review these documents is the
 best way to ensure they are ready for a prospective employer."
     The Creative Group has offices in major markets across the United
 States and in Canada, and offers online job search services at
 www.creativegroup.com
     * These are examples of Resumania, a term coined by Robert Half,
 founder of The Creative Group's parent company, Robert Half International
 (RHI), to describe errors made by job seekers on application materials.
 These examples have come to RHI from businesses and job seekers worldwide
 over the years. More examples can be found at www.resumania.com .
 
 

SOURCE The Creative Group