Bad Resumes

You’ve thought long and hard about how to make your resume stand out, but perhaps you’ve gone too far. A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive for CareerBuilder.com asked hiring managers to share the most unusual resumes they’ve seen. Explaining that you work well in the nude? What they found might surprise you.

CareerBulider.com Survey: Top 12 Resume Disasters

1. Candidate mentioned in his resume that he spent summers on his family’s yacht in Grand Cayman.

2. Candidate attached a letter from his mother.

3. Candidate used pale blue paper with teddy bears around the border.

4. Candidate explained a gap in employment by saying he was getting over the death of his cat for three months.

5. Candidate specified that his availability was limited because Friday, Saturday and Sunday were “drinking time”.

6. Candidate included a picture of herself in a cheerleading uniform.

7. Candidate drew a picture of a car on the outside of the envelope and said it was the hiring manager's gift.

8. Candidate’s hobbies included sitting on a levee at night watching alligators.

9. Candidate included the fact that her sister once won a strawberry-eating contest.

10. Candidate explained that they worked well in the nude.

11. Candidate explained an arrest by stating, “We stole a pig, but it was a really small pig.”

12. Candidate included a family medical history.

“Anytime it’s beyond job function, it can be goofy”, said Jennifer Sullivan, senior career advisor at CareerBulider.com The survey also found people who listed bingo and smoking as their hobbies. “Others reference grade school classes and included old pictures,” Sullivan said.

CareerBuilder says to keep three key words in mind when writing your resume: simple, bold and professional. Instead of using stationery with bears, keep it clean and easy to read. The firm also recommends that you ask someone else to review it.

“You want to make yourself memorable for the right reasons,” said Sullivan. “Know your audience, and paint a picture of what you’ve done for other companies.”

Re: Bad Resumes

Re: Bad Resumes

I like #3

Hey...I've gotten resumes from people with their head shot attached, from people who had the same first and last name - seriously...I've gotten them from people we have FIRED who want to come back...and I always love the handwritten ones and the spelling mistakes

Re: Bad Resumes

At my last job I would get resumes sent to me that I would peruse for my boss and anyone that looked promising I would forward to him.

I received a resume from a young girl who had moved from Russia a year prior. On her accomplishments listed was "can assemble a Kalishinko rifle in under 2 minutes"


Just what every office needs

Re: Bad Resumes

Posted by stayandjohn

I received a resume from a young girl who had moved from Russia a year prior. On her accomplishments listed was "can assemble a Kalishinko rifle in under 2 minutes"


Just what every office needs

Re: Bad Resumes

Re: Bad Resumes

My principal once was handed a resume by one of the subs.

She included her height and weight and a picture!!!


AND............she was 78 years old!!!!!!!!

We think she was just looking for a date!

Re: Bad Resumes

Posted by joenick



My principal once was handed a resume by one of the subs.

She included her height and weight and a picture!!!


AND............she was 78 years old!!!!!!!!

We think she was just looking for a date!

Re: Bad Resumes

Re: Bad Resumes

We got a resume back from a guy that we had fired. His resume showed that he worked here - but in a position he NEVER had!

Re: Bad Resumes

Re: Bad Resumes