Don’t Try This Font Hack–It Could Send Your Resume Straight to the Recycle Bin
Plus: 7 More Resume Hacks Not To Try
Have you heard the one about adding keywords to your resume in white font? Supposedly, this trick will help your resume make it through the applicant tracking system (ATS), the software that many employers use to collect and sort resumes.
The white-font resume trick is an old one. It even seems like it would make sense. The idea is that while human hiring managers won’t catch you keyword-stuffing your application materials, the resume robot that sorts CVs will see it–and bump your job application to the top of the pile.
There’s just one problem with this particular font gimmick: employers hate it. To a hiring team, this hack looks lazy at best and dishonest at worst. Not a great first impression for a job applicant to make.
Don’t assume you won’t get caught, either. If hiring managers or recruiters cut and paste your resume into another screen to strip out formatting–and many do–the white-font keywords will show up just as clearly as every other character on the page.
Plus, those resume robots? They’re not as scary as you might have heard. While different software applications offer different features, most applicant tracking systems are merely repositories for job applications. At most, an ATS might stack rank your resume according to keywords, which you can add where appropriate in your resume and cover letter. (In other words, not in white font in the margins, etc.) But you’re not going to flunk out of the interview process at the ATS phase because you didn’t cram in every single keyword.
In short, the goal is to impress the human beings who eventually read your resume, which means being authentic and honest and possessing the right qualifications.
7 Other Resume Hacks That Will Probably Backfire
1. Resume Keyword-Stuffing
Even if you do it in plain type where employers can see it, keyword-stuffing your application materials is a bad idea. What’s the difference between including keywords and overdoing it? In part, it’s a matter of authenticity. (There’s that word again.) Use the keyword if you genuinely have the skill, qualification, or experience. If you don’t, emphasize your other abilities.
Tip: Want to know which keywords to target? Ask ChatGPT or another chatbot to list keywords from the job description for the position you’re seeking. Just bring your human common sense to the interaction. If your chosen AI tool includes skills that don’t seem relevant, leave them off. You’re the expert on your own career.
2. Lying on Your Resume
We know it’s tempting, especially if you’re just stretching the truth ever so slightly. But being dishonest on your resume is a mistake every time. Even if it gets you an interview, you can get caught later on–and fired for cause. Just ask these (former) executives who lost their jobs after lying on their resumes.
3. Changing Your Job Title
This one is an extension of the “don’t lie on your resume” rule, but it’s worth saying outright. We’ve heard from multiple job seekers who tweaked their job titles to reflect their actual duties and didn’t consider it lying. However, any mismatch between your actual and claimed job title would likely show up during a background check and appear just as dishonest as lying about your education or responsibilities in previous roles.
Plus, lying about your job title is just unnecessary: you can use the summary under each job title in your resume to explain what you accomplished in each role and include your keywords that way.
4. Changing Dates To Cover Employment Gaps
Another small fib that can have big repercussions: fudging the dates on your employment history. Again, this will show up during a background check. Even employers who have a policy against commenting extensively on a former employee’s work will usually confirm employment dates.
This resume lie is likely unnecessary, as well. The past few years have seen a total upheaval of professional norms and standards. It’s the rare person who doesn’t have a layoff, voluntary leave of absence, or other career gap in their work history. Prepare yourself to discuss it briefly and positively during a job interview and move on to other things.
5. Being Creative With Salary History
More states and localities are making it illegal to ask job candidates for their salary history, but if you’re in a place where employers are still allowed to ask, don’t lie. If pressed, you can say that you’re flexible, say that you want to learn more about the role so that you understand the appropriate salary range, or name a range based on your salary research.
Tip: Try free salary calculators like Glassdoor, Payscale, or Salary.com.
6. Use Fake References
Sometimes, the people who seem like they’d make the best references just aren’t a possibility when you’re compiling your list for a prospective employer. For example, you probably don’t want your current manager to know that you’re job searching, or you might have a difficult relationship with a former manager and know that they won’t have anything helpful to say on your behalf.
Before you ask your roommate to pretend to be your boss, remember that people who lie during the job interview process are likely to get caught. Plus, you’re probably neglecting other potential references who would be happy to recommend you. Consider former colleagues and clients as well as personal references like people you volunteered with, etc.
7. Using Job Automation Tools To Apply to Hundreds of Jobs
Just because technology can do something doesn’t mean that it should. Job automation apps promise to get your resume in front of hundreds or thousands of employers, and they can–but they can’t make them care about what’s most likely a pretty generic application. Although it’s time-intensive, it’s still better to customize your resume and cover letter for each position.
Even better–see if you can find a contact at the company and connect with the hiring manager directly. LinkedIn will show you any shared connections, and many recruiters will state whether they welcome direct contact on job descriptions or their profiles. A little upfront research can save you the expense of a job automation tool that wasn’t going to reap benefits anyway.
Our Favorite Tips & Tools
The Muse Job Application Tracker: If you’re looking for a simple way to track your job applications, download The Muse’s free and simple spreadsheet to manage your applications, interviews, and follow-up.
Google Interview Warmup: Use Google’s Interview Warmup tool to prepare for your next interview. Practice key questions, get insights about your answers, and get more comfortable interviewing.
Truity Photo Career Quiz: The Photo Career Quiz is a fun quiz that only takes a few minutes. All you need to do is look at a series of two photographs and click on which one you like best. When you’re done, you’ll get a free profile of your career interests.
News & Noteworthy
LinkedIn Adds AI Tools: If you’re a premium member of LinkedIn, you can access AI-based job search tools, including a redesigned jobs page, a new way to search for roles, and tools that will optimize your resume for the jobs you’re applying for and write cover letter drafts.
Amazon Drivers File Claims for Unpaid Wages: More than 15,000 Amazon contract drivers filed arbitration claims saying that they are owed minimum wage and overtime pay because Amazon considered them independent contracts rather than employees.
May 2024 US Labor Market Update: The Indeed Hiring Lab reports that although unemployment remains low, job openings continue to decline and are at 30% below the peak in 2022. Tech, finance, and media are among the hardest-hit industries this year.
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