CSE Career Captain Ella Pereira ‘24 shares the most common content resume mistakes she saw while working on the CSE Resume Review Team – and how to fix them! 

Over the summer, I reviewed hundreds of resumes from incoming Brandeis International Business School students. Here are the top three easiest content mistakes that I saw made on resumes: 

Not writing out numbers under 10

This may be the top mistake that virtually every newcomer makes. When writing bullet points, be sure to spell out numbers under ten or any number at the beginning of a statement. The official rule from the Resume Content Checklist is: “Spell out numbers less than ten (‘three,’ not ‘3’), and when beginning statements.”

Using the wrong verb tense

An easy way to distract from your skill is by making errors in your verb tense. It is crucial to be consistent with your tenses. Be mindful and consistent with the tense you apply to a bullet. If you are writing about past experiences, use past tense. If you are currently in a role, use the present tense. 

The official rule from the Resume Content Checklist is: “Use present tense for current positions, and past tense for previous experience (past tense can also be used for completed projects done in a current position) – learn more about tenses here and here.”

Using a generic LinkedIn URL

It is essential to include a customized LinkedIn URL in the Name and Contact Info heading of the resume. Not only does it take up less space, but it gives your resume a clean and professional impression. This LinkedIn article gives you step by step instructions for creating a customized LinkedIn URL.

Check out the Printable Version of the Resume Content Checklist for more information and easy content mistakes to avoid!

-Ella Pereira ‘24, CSE Career Captain