Finding
a legit telecommute job can be difficult. Telecommute
jobs are in high demand and hundreds if not thousands
of other people are competing for the same position.

So how do you stand apart from everyone else? Your
résumé.

Your telecommute résumé the first
and often the only document a potential employer
has to make a hiring decision with. Here are some
tips specifically for your telecommute résumé
to keep it on the employer’s desk and out
of “file number 13”.

I have consulted with telecommute résumé
expert Jennifer Anthony of Résumé
ASAP to get a list of the top five telecommute résumé
mistakes. Here they are!

1. Wild designs or frilly fonts.

If you want to be taken seriously for consideration,
avoid using cursive fonts or cutesy clip art. Leave
this to personal use; it does not belong on business
correspondence. Also, check your e-mail signatures.
You don’t want to send your résumé
out and then sign your name “Mommy to Sean
and Sissy” with little angel graphics around
their names.

2. Résumé templates.

“I know for a fact that recruiters hate templates
and would rather rip their hair out than read templates”,
Jennifer Anthony

Recruiters and hiring managers spend their day
(often overtime) sorting through hundreds of résumés.
Templates are hard to read, and the design elements
often don’t show up correctly on a monitor
other than that your own. Hiring managers need to
be able to scan your document quickly to see if
you are qualified before moving on. If they can’t
find out in 6-8 seconds, your résumé
is trash. It is better to start with a blank document
and look at other résumé examples
for inspiration.

3. The selfish objective statement.

If you are using the same old objective statement
as everyone else, your résumé may
be thrown in the trash because you did not put forth
the effort to create a personalized résumé.

Here is an example objective you should avoid:

“A telecommute position allowing me to utilize
my knowledge and expertise working from home.”

Why? This statement opens up many questions. What
kind of telecommute position? What is your knowledge
and expertise? Also take note that using the words
“me” and “my” sound very
selfish. Instead of telling them what you want,
you should be showing them what you have to offer
them.

Here is an example of what you can use as your
headline:

“Talented and experienced virtual assistant,
skilled in all aspects of office management within
nonprofit environments.”

(More headline examples can be found at RésuméASAP).

This is targeted and to the point. The reader knows
this person is an experienced virtual assistant
who is especially skilled in a nonprofit role. No
wasted time.

4. Irrelevant Experience.

Don’t list irrelevant work experience just
to fill in space. If you are applying for a transcription
position, your customer service experience at the
local fast food restaurant does not apply. What
matters is how much transcribing experience you
have, how fast you type, how good your spelling
and grammar skills are, and how accurate your work
is. Any work experience that deals with these skills
can be listed.

5. Personal Information.

Leave off information like how many children you
have, how long you have been married, or that you
happen to love scuba diving

Let’s look at children and spouses for instance.
Some people may see this as stability, but many
others look at it as a liability. They may have
questions about how you will work out for them with
the responsibilities. How often will this person
miss work because his/her kids are sick? Is his/her
spouse supportive of the telecommuting role? Can
he/she work efficiently if the children are home?
Employers are not allowed to ask, so why put this
on your résumé. Personal information
should be left off.

If you write that you love scuba diving, you may
think this makes you look like a well-rounded person.
However, it could give someone the idea that you
love scuba diving more than work. It is best to
just leave this kind of info off.

ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
Nell Taliercio is the owner and founder
of www.telecommutingmoms.com
– which is a leading resource website with
work at home jobs and everything a telecommuting
mom would need. Come visit us today!

This article is available for reprint with author’s
resource box intact and all links live and clickable.
Copyright is reserved by author.