Happy New Year! Happy New Job!
- Dr. Sharla Horton
- Dec 31, 2025
- 4 min read
It’s the top of the year, and that means it’s almost hiring season. Many people are either actively searching or have been seriously considering a new job. If this is you, please listen. You need a resume. And not just any resume. You need a good resume. One that tells a clear and compelling story about who you are as a professional. One that demonstrates your value and impact. One that positions you as the candidate of choice.
The problem is that most resumes don’t do that. They are nothing more than a long list of where you’ve worked and what you did. Friend, that is not enough anymore. The job market is tough. The competition is stiff. You have to set yourself apart, and it’s not as difficult as you may think. The biggest barrier to a solid resume is your mindset. People tell me all the time in career strategy sessions, “I don’t like to talk about myself.” Here’s a hard truth: The person who is comfortable talking about themselves - sharing their career wins, articulating their strengths, showing their value - is the person who will have the advantage in this job market. So, friend, now is not the time to be humble! And the first place for you to speak well of yourself is your resume!
In addition to not selling yourself in your resume, there are a few other common resume mistakes that I see all the time - from supervisors to executives - that can keep you from standing out as a prime candidate. Here are the top 10:
Here are 10 common problems that I see on resumes that will keep you from standing out as a promising candidate:
Problem #1: You don’t have a professional identity. Who are you professionally? That should be clearly evident almost immediately to any reader.
Problem #2: You aren’t telling a clear and compelling story about you. Your resume is just a list of roles and duties but doesn’t tell a story of who you are and how good you are at what you do. No one cares what you used to do — they care about how well you did it and the impact of it all.
Problem #3: You have weak, vague, or generic skills. “Communication” isn’t a set-apart skill. We all communicate. What do you do better than anyone else? What critical skills do you have and use that set you apart?
Problem #4: It’s too long. I have a 20+ year career, and my resume is only two pages. If you need a longer resume, fine. But you probably have a long resume because you have included lots of disconnected, irrelevant roles and details that are taking up precious space!
The full list of 10 common resume problems and the quick fixes to solve them can be found below, but before you scroll down to grab it, keep reading because there is something you have to understand before launching a career search.
Now, I’m going to hold your hand while I say this. Your resume alone is not enough to land you the role of your dreams. It’s only the start. And honestly, it’s not even the first step. The first step is even knowing what your dream job is! What do you want to do next? What industry? Type of role? Title? Do you want to work remotely? Or in person? Do you want a promotion or a lateral move? Do you want to lead a team or work independently? Do you want to work in a formal corporate setting or a more relaxed environment? What do you want to do?
Maybe you haven’t paused to think about this, but it matters. It matters for your professional success, but it also matters for your well-being. Pew Research Center recently found that more than half of all Americans were dissatisfied with work overall. That’s wild! Think about this. Why would you want to leave one situation that is draining and unfulfilling just to go to another one? That would be even crazier than the statistic itself! So, before you take one more step in your job search, pause and reflect on what you want. What you really want.
A successful job search starts with clarity and ends with confidence. What do you mean, Sharla?
Get clear on your career vision. Where are you headed? And why is that what you want to do next? What unique strengths, assets, and even passion do you bring to this kind of work? How does this fill you up and how will it bring you joy? Why is this the thing that you want to do next?
Get confident about your value. What sets you apart? What skills and strengths do you bring to this work or to any organization? What experiences and previous impact proves that you are the right person for the job? What makes you the person that this organization or company needs in this role at this time? What do you bring that no one else brings?
Once you can answer those two questions, you are ready to start preparing, and preparation looks like this:
Updating your resume.
Writing your professional pitch, or personal elevator speech.
Creating a foundational letter of introduction and interest.
Doing a landscape analysis and alignment to see what’s out there right now and what might be good for you.
Mentally preparing for your interviews.
All of these tips and strategies, friends, are part of your career advancement strategy. Yes, strategy. You’re not just applying for jobs. You are implementing a strategy. One that is purposeful, intentional, aligned, and ultimately successful.
Wishing you joy at work, joy in life, and joy in leadership in 2026!
Sharla
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