Your job search is a marketing campaign with you as the product and your resume as a full-page ad. Making a mistake on your resume wastes the best opportunity you have to sell yourself to those who make the hiring decisions.

You've decided to take that plunge into the unknown and find a new job – or maybe even a new career. You've researched your field, you've registered on the job boards, and you're looking at the classified ads in your local newspaper. But have you given much thought to your resume? What's written on that one document determines whether your name ends up on an interview list or in the trash. Don't make a mistake that could cost you a shot at the job of your dreams.

Don't Lie

Lying – or even fudging – on your resume is the biggest mistake you can make. While you can tout your accomplishments and brag about all of your achievements, you simply cannot get away with untruths. The Internet makes easy to find out the truth about your qualifications, and being caught out as a liar is the surest way to kill your chances. While your accomplishments may not be as extensive as you would like them to be, you are much better off truthfully stating your employment history and education.

Don't Be Messy

You need to look at the process from the hiring manager's point of view. They get dozens, if not hundreds, of resumes for every opening, so make it easy for them to read yours. If your resume has multiple competing fonts or fonts that are hard to make out or is difficult to understand, it'll go straight into the trash. Choose a neutral font such as Times New Roman or Arial, and stick with it throughout the document. Don't use colored or patterned paper; you can get nice white or ivory paper made specifically for resumes at any office-supply store.

The same advice goes for the layout of your resume. Make sure that the format is consistent throughout, using the same style for headers and bullets, so that it's easy to see the progression of your education and experience. Also, stay away from cutesy clip art; employers are interested in your qualifications, not your cutting-and-pasting skills. Try not to get so bogged down in making your resume stand out that you lose sight of what's important: the skills and experience you can bring to an employer.

Don't Get Personal

You want your resume to make a statement about you, but you need to be sure it's making the right statement. Hiring managers have the chance to get to know you through your resume, but you need to remember to keep it professional. Your marital status, your religion, your age and the number of kids you have are not relevant and should not be included on your resume. Were you a three-time intramural Ultimate Frisbee champion? That's great – but it shouldn't be on your resume unless you're applying for a position in the recreational flying disc industry. Save your personal stories for sharing with co-workers around the water cooler after you get hired.

Don't Generalize

You have uploaded your resume and you are using the point-and-click method of applying for jobs. Whenever you see an ad for any job in your industry, you send off your resume without even looking at it first. While that is great for time management, you may be making a big mistake. For each job you apply to, try tailoring your resume. If the job ad lists specific requirements, put those qualifications in a prominent place on your resume. Edit the objective statement or personal summary on your resume to reflect not only the industry mentioned in the ad but the specific job title as well.

If at all possible, include a cover letter with your resume. If a contact person is listed in the job ad, address the letter to that person rather than with a generic “Dear Sir or Madam.” Mention the specific company you're applying to and tell the recipient why you want to work for that company. The extra time you spend tailoring your application materials will pay off when your resume stands out from the mass of generic applicants.

Don't Skip the Last Step

Once you've finished your resume, listing all your professional qualifications and educational credentials in a clear, easy-to-read format, you may think you're finished, but there's one more thing you need to do: proofread. And after you've done that, get someone else to proofread it for you – a fresh set of eyes can catch mistakes that you won't, no matter how many times you read your resume. It's amazing how many resumes with spelling and grammar mistakes in them find their way to hiring managers' desks – and how many of them end up in the trash.

Now that you have a few extra tips, go back and take another look at your resume. Use a critical eye and be sure you're not sabotaging your chance at a job before the hiring manager ever sees you. Once you've weeded out any hidden mistakes that may have been lurking among your qualifications, you'll be ready to hit the job market with confidence.