Ridiculous Resume Mistakes to Avoid

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When it comes to getting a job, your résumé can be the difference between being hired and being passed over. While there is no simple formula for your résumé that will help you get the job for which you are applying, making a mistake is a surefire way to lose out on the position. 

If you unfortunately are passed over for a job, at least you can take solace in the fact that you did not make one of the mistakes listed in a poll of 2,298 hiring managers conducted by CareerBuilder.  Some of the most egregious mistakes include: 

• Candidate called himself a genius and invited the hiring manager to interview him at his apartment.
• Candidate's cover letter talked about her family being in the mob.
• Candidate applying for a management job listed "gator hunting" as a skill.
• Candidate's résumé included phishing as a hobby. 
• Candidate specified that her résumé was set up to be sung to the tune of "The Brady Bunch."
• Candidate highlighted the fact that he was "Homecoming Prom Prince" in 1984.
• Candidate claimed to be able to speak "Antartican" when applying for a job to work in Antarctica.
• Candidate's résumé had a photo of the applicant reclining in a hammock under the headline "Hi, I'm _____ and I'm looking for a job."
• Candidate's résumé was decorated with pink rabbits.
• Candidate listed "to make dough" as the objective on the résumé.
• Candidate applying for an accounting job said he was "deetail-oriented" and spelled the company's name incorrectly.
• Candidate's cover letter contained "LOL."

Job candidates looking for better results in their search can instead follow some of the creative résumé examples listed below.  

[10 Foolish Résumé Mistakes That Could Cost You the Job]

• Candidate sent his résumé in the form of an oversize Rubik's Cube, where you had to push the tiles around to align the résumé.  He was hired. 
• Candidate who had been a stay-at-home mom listed her skills as nursing, housekeeping, chef, teacher, bio-hazard cleanup, fight referee, taxi driver, secretary, tailor, personal shopping assistant and therapist.  She was hired.
• Candidate created a marketing brochure promoting herself as the best candidate and was hired.
• Candidate listed accomplishments and lessons learned from each position.  He gave examples of good customer service he provided as well as situations he wished he would have handled differently.  He was hired.
• Candidate applying for a food and beverage management position sent a résumé in the form of a fine-dining menu and was hired. 
• Candidate crafted his résumé to look like Google search results for the "perfect candidate." Candidate ultimately wasn't hired, but was considered.

This story was provided by BusinessNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow David Mielach on Twitter @D_M89 or BusinessNewsDaily @bndarticles. We're also on Facebook & Google+.