Ex-Google recruiter reveals four resume 'red flags' that make hiring managers stop reading instantly

In the era of big tech layoffs and AI boom, your resume has to be more solid and fool-proof than any other document in your life. It is the only thing that will be reaching across to hiring managers and recruiters, convincing them to give you a chance, unless, you have an in.But when it comes to a resume, one always feels it's still in progress. No amount of edits or rewrites gives you the confidence of having the 'right' resume. Now, Farah Sharghi, a former recruiter at Google, has revealed four resume 'red flags' that make hiring managers stop reading further instantly.In a conversation with CNBC Make It, Sharghi said that one of the biggest resume mistakes is writing for someone who already knows your story. It makes your lore invisible to job seekers and thus makes your accomplishments harder to understand. For this, she suggests a trick. Covering your name at the top of the page and then reading the resume. If it reads like it could be any other candidate's, then you're in trouble. Here are four ways you end up miswriting your own resume:

Lack of context

She shared an example of a line she has seen numerous versions of: "Conducted financial analysis on operating spending and budget trends to support strategic planning and decision making."

While you might know what the entire operation means, for the reader who has no knowledge of your organisation, it reveals nothing.Fix it: Sharghi suggests adding a line of context before. Explain the organisation and your role in it in a language you would use to describe it to your grandma or someone who has absolutely no knowledge of it.

Inexplicable numbers

While adding metrics to the resume is good advice and a must-do, there is a certain pattern to be followed.

A number with no context is not useful at all. For instance, 'Rs 63,000 in Q2' but in which department and was this revenue, donations or something else? A static is meaningless without reference and thus a context of how it benefited the organisation might help.Fix it: A number is meaningful when the reader knows its true measure, its importance and impact.

Too many jargons

For a recruiter or hiring manager, the internal depth of your work might not be completely understandable.

Thus, when you use jargon such as internal tool names, project codenames, company-specific acronyms and other shorthand that people in your line of work would recognise, remember that they might not be aware.Fix it: Once done with your resume, proofread it for any vocabulary that requires insider knowledge to understand. Describe what the tool or project was in plain terms, so that the person can relate and understand.

Weightless adjectives

"Excellent communication. Team player. Hard working. Detail-oriented," there are some terms every resume features. But still, they carry no weight, because they signify nothing specific about you. Skills are things you have learnt, performed and can demonstrate. These are attributes and thus, belong in an interview. While excellent communication might not reveal anything, "supported English and Spanish speaking customers for four years," shows communication skills in action, she shared.Fix it: For every skill listed, ask yourself if you can prove it with an example. If not, cut it out of your resume.