Writing a resume that gets you an interview is hard enough as it is. The resume myths I keep hearing about make this process harder and confusing especially for clueless job seekers who rarely write a resume.

This article reveals some of the resume myths I keep hearing about, so you can stop worrying about them and get on with your job search.

 “Buzzwords work like magic on a resume”

No, they don’t. Buzzwords get overused to the point that employers and recruiters get tired of reading them. They lose their effect. Some buzzwords aren’t bad per se but you have to ensure they’re organically incorporated in your resume through the use of examples and quantifiable achievements.

Overused buzzwords:

• Team player
• Results-driven
• Analytical thinker
• Passionate
• Detail oriented
• Creative

Everyone is passionate about something. Anyone can be creative in any field. So instead of claiming these attributes, it’s better if you demonstrate a specific example of what makes you these things.

“A good resume can get you a job”

No, a good resume can only get your foot in the door. Your resume can land you an interview, but what happens as a result of that interview is up to you. Remember, the resume is only one step of the job search process.

“Keep your resume to one page”

This is a myth. Senior managers and executives surely have more experience and skills than what is allowed by an 8” by 11” piece of paper.

I’m not entirely sure where this came from, but one possible theory is that this originated from a time when resumes had to be printed and mailed to people. The more pages your resume has, the more expensive it is to print and send via snail mail or fax. Risk of paper cuts also increases in direct relation to the number of pages in a printed resume. Nobody wants that. This logic doesn’t apply in today’s age where resumes are read on computers and sent via email.

That said, no recruiter will enjoy reading a resume that just goes on and on so don’t make your resume longer than it has to be. Entry level applicants can do well with a one-page resume, while more senior applicants shouldn’t hesitate about going three or more pages if their experience merits it.

“They will read my entire resume.”

This rarely happens even for good candidates. Employers and recruiters review anywhere from 50 to a hundred resumes a day so it’s impossible for them to go line by line on every resume they read.

That’s why headers, bullet points, and bold or italic formatting are important in resume writing. They add emphasis to the important phrases in your resume. White space is also important because it organizes the information and allows the reader’s eye to rest. It’s also easier to read text that’s been chunked and organized compared to just one long block of text.

Don’t Get Fooled

Don’t believe everything you read online. Consider the credibility of the information’s source. Better yet, next time you read about a resume myth, ask the opinion of a recruiter you’ve worked with previously.