15 Common Mistakes in Resume

8/6/2019 15 Common Mistakes in Resume

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15 common mistakes in resume

Common mistakes in writing resume

Your Resume is your one chance to make a first impression from

employer

So be sure to avoid common mistakes when writing your resume.

1) Using small Font: M any people use small font to get the fit thereusme in less No. of pages.

M ake sure that your document is legible. A recommended font sizeis 11 or 12.

2) Spelling mistakes

: M

any people prepare resume in hurry anddo not check whether the resume is with out spelling mistakes or not.

U se the spell-check tool,. Be sure that there are no spelling errors,poor word choice, or misuse of language. These mistakes are notacceptable as it might appear that you are negligent with your work.

3 ) Inconsistent layout of resume: P resent your resume in aconsistent layout. Set your margins evenly (right and left sides 1"margins; top and bottom). Have an even amount of space betweeneach heading.

4 ) Using someone else's words: It can be obvious that what iswritten is not in your own words when you do not speak like youwrite.

It is important to prepare your resume in your own words.

5) No cover letter: A cover letter should be sent out with everyrsum. The cover letter is your sales document. It will augment

your rsum.

6 ) Unprofessional email address: U se an email address that isprofessional. Your professionalism has to come through in your resume.

7 ) Cluttered information: F ilter out information that might seem


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irrelevant to the position. Be wise in choosing certain facts to beincluded on your final resume.

8 ) Using abbreviations or shortform of words: Remember your resume is a formal document; be sure to omit abbreviations orshortform of words in your words or sentences.

9 ) Long Sentences: Avoid long sentences at all costs. Employerstend to glance at and skim resumes, rather than read them from topto bottom. To make things stand out, therefore, you should useshort sentences

10) Too Creative resumes Such as brightly colored or decoratedpaper (think fluorescent) or unusual formats (distracting layouts or unusual presentations, such as brochures). These may get

attention, but possibly not the type of attention you intended .

11) Skips the extras: A common mistake is neglecting to mentionany extra education, training, volunteer work, awards, or recognitions that might pertain to your particular job area or industry. M any employers view such "extracurricular activities" astestament to a well-rounded employee, so leverage such things asassets to distinguish your rsum from the hordes of others outthere

12

) Resume is not bulleted:U

se a bulleted style to make your resume more reader-friendly.

13 ) Resume lacks keywords: J ob-hunting today increasinglyrevolves around the mysterious world of keywords. Employers'reliance on keywords to find the job candidates they want tointerview has come about in recent years because of technology.Inundated by resumes from job-seekers, employers haveincreasingly relied on digitizing job-seeker resumes, placing thoseresumes in keyword-searchable databases, and using software tosearch those databases for specific keywords that relate to jobvacancies.

14 ) lisinting references directly on your resume: Never listedspecific references directly on your resume. List them on aseparate sheet, and even then, submit them only when specificallyrequested by an employer.


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Even the phrase, "References : Available upon request," is highlyoptional because it is a given that you will provide references uponrequest. If you couldn't, you would have no business looking for a

job. The line can serve the purpose of signaling : "This is the end of my resume," but if you are trying to conserve space, leave it off.

15) Poor photocopies: Always use good original laser prints. P oor quality copies suggest you're sending the CV out to lots of companies because you're desperate.


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3 0 Resume making/writing tips

Having a solid and effective resume can greatly improve your chances of landing that dream job. There are several

websites with tips around the web, but most bring just a handful of them. We wanted to put them all together in a

single place, and that is what you will find below : 30 resume writing tips.

1. Know the purpose of your resume

Some people write a resume as if the purpose of the document was to land a job. As a result they end up with a really

long and boring piece that makes them look like desperate job hunters. The objective of your resume is to land an

interview, and the interview will land you the job (hopefully!).

2 . Back up your qualities and strengths

Instead of creating a long (and boring) list with all your qualities (e.g., disciplined, creative, problem solver) try to

connect them with real life and work experiences. In other words, you need to back these qualities and strengths up,else it will appear that you are just trying to inflate things.

3 . Make sure to use the right keywords

M ost companies (even smaller ones) are already using digital databases to search for candidates. This means that

the HR department will run search queries based on specific keywords. Guess what, if your resume doesnt have the

keywords related to the job you are applying for, you will be out even before the game starts.

These keywords will usually be nouns. Check the job description and related job ads for a clue on what the employer

might be looking for..

4 . Use effective titles

Like it or not, employers will usually make a judgment about your resume in 5 seconds. U nder this time frame the

most important aspect will be the titles that you listed on the resume, so make sure they grab the attention. Try to be

as descriptive as possible, giving the employer a good idea about the nature of your past work experiences. F or

example :

Bad title : Accounting

Good title : M anagement of A/R and A/ P and Recordkeeping

5. Use bullet points

No employer will have the time (or patience) to read long paragraphs of text. M ake sure, therefore, to use bullet

points and short sentences to describe your experiences, educational background and professional objectives.

6 . Where are you going?


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Including professional goals can help you by giving employers an idea of where you are going, and how you want to

arrive there. You dont need to have a special section devoted to your professional objectives, but overall the resume

must communicate it. The question of whether or not to highlight your career objectives on the resume is a polemic

one among HR managers, so go with your feeling. If you decide to list them, make sure they are not generic.

7 . Put the most important information first

This point is valid both to the overall order of your resume, as well as to the individual sections. M ost of the times your

previous work experience will be the most important part of the resume, so put it at the top. When describing your

experiences or skills, list the most important ones first.

8 . Attention to the typography

F irst of all make sure that your fonts are big enough. The smaller you should go is 11 points, but 12 is probably safer.

Do not use capital letters all over the place, remember that your goal is to communicate a message as fast and as

clearly as possible. Arial and Times are good choices.

9 . Do not include no kidding information

There are many people that like to include statements like Available for interview .If you are sending a resume to a

company, it should be a given that you are available for an interview. J ust avoid items that will make the employer

think no kidding!

10. Explain the benefits of your sk ills

M erely stating that you can do something will not catch the attention of the employer. If you manage to explain how it

will benefit his company, and to connect it to tangible results, then you will greatly improve your chances.

11. Avoid negativity

Do not include information that might sound negative in the eyes of the employer. This is valid both to your resume

and to interviews. You dont need to include, for instance, things that you hated about your last company.

12 . Achievements instead of responsibilities

Resumes that include a long list of responsibilities included are plain boring, and not efficient in selling yourself.

Instead of listing responsibilities, therefore, describe your professional achievements.

13 . No pictures

Sure, we know that you are good looking, but unless you are applying for a job where the physical traits are very

important (e.g., modeling, acting and so on), and unless the employer specifically requested it, you should avoid

attaching your picture to the resume.


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14 . Identify the problems of the employer

A good starting point to tailor your resume for a specific employer is to identify what possible problems he might have

at hand. Try to understand the market of the company you are applying for a job, and identify what kind of difficulties

they might be going through. After that illustrate on your resume how you and your skills would help to solve those

problems.

15. Go with what you got

If you never had any real working experience, just include your summer jobs or volunteer work. If you dont have a

degree yet, mention the title and the estimated date for completion. As long as those points are relevant to the job in

question, it does not matter if they are official or not.

16 . Sell your fish

Remember that you are trying to sell yourself. As long as you dont go over the edge, all the marketing efforts thatyou can put in your resume (in its content, design, delivery method and so on) will give you an advantage over the

other candidates.

17 . No lies, please

Seems like a no brainer, but you would be amused to discover the amount of people that lie in their resumes. Even

small lies should be avoided. Apart from being wrong, most HR departments do background checks these days, and

if you are buster it might ruin your credibility for good.

18 . Keep the salary in mind

The image you will create with your resume must match the salary and responsibility level that you are aiming for.

19 . Get someone else to review your resume

Even if you think you resume is looking kinky, it would be a good idea to get a second and third opinion about it. We

usually become blind to our own mistakes or way of reasoning, so another people will be in a good position to

evaluate the overall quality of your resume and make appropriate suggestions.

2 0. One or two pages

The ideal length for a resume is a polemic subject. M ost employers and recruiting specialists, however, say that it

should contain one or two pages at maximum. J ust keep in mind that, provided all the necessary information is there,

the shorter your resume, the better.

2 1. Use a good printer


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Do not use a colored background, fancy fonts or images on your resume. Sure, you might think that the little flowers

will cheer up the document, but other people might just throw it away at the sight.

29 . Dont forget the basics

The first thing on your resume should be your name. It should be bold and with a larger font than the rest of the text.M ake sure that your contact details are clearly listed. Secondly, both the name and contact details should be included

on all the pages of the resume (if you have more than one).

3 0. Consider getting professional help

If you are having a hard time to create your resume, or if you are receiving no response whatsoever from companies,

you could consider hiring a professional resume writing service. There are both local and online options are available,

and usually the investment will be worth the money.


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H r interview questions part1

When you are called for a personal interview, many types of questions spring across your mind, specially if you are an unexperienced job seeker. Here are some tips on answering the most frequently asked questions in a

ersonal interview :

Tell me something about your self.?

Go prepared for this question, as this is the most frequently asked questionin the interview. Answer it covering your work experience, educationalqualifications and a little information about your family background. Tryto focus on key areas of your work while talking about your professionalexperience. This is an open ended question and can help you in taking theinterview in which ever direction you want it to go. You should know

where to put a full stop to provoke the desired question from theinterviewer.

W hy does this role interest you? Or why have you applied for this job?

K eep the focus of the answer to this question on your skills, experienceand personal qualities. Link the job requirement to your skills rather thantalking about the challenges, career and progression.

W hy do you think should we take you for this job?

D on't panic if you are asked this question. Make sure that you haveunderstood the job profile well before you go for the interview. Relateyour qualifications and work experience with the job requirements. If there are any new things that you are expected to perform in the new job,say that you are always open to learn the new things and take up the newchallenges.

W hat motivates you at work?

You can say that competition and new challenges motivate you at work.

W hy do you want to leave your present job or why did you leave yourlast job?

The reasons for switching the job could be numerous. The best answer tooffer for this question is to say, for better prospects. Now they can ask


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you another question, what do you mean by better prospects? To this youcan say, better prospects in terms of experience, and exposure.If you have been made redundant, put your words across very carefully.Your wrong words can give an impression that only you were the onewhose position was made redundant, which hardly might be the case. May

be you can say something like, Over last 8 months a lot of restructuringwas going on in the company and 40 positions became surplus. One of them was mine but I have learnt a lot during my tenure at XYZ companyand I am sure I can add a lot of value to a position like the we arediscussing about.

W hat is your greatest strength?

Interpret this question as, what is your greatest relevant strength? Or Whyshould we hire you? Tell them a strength that they want to buy. For this

you will need to properly understand the job profile and keep your answer ready. For example, if the job needs you to have convincing answersready for the any type customers questions, you can sell your presenceof mind or if you are required to change you sector or industry you canoffer your adaptability as an answer. It is important to keep ready atleast 2 examples of the mentioned strength.

W hat is your greatest weakness?

Interpret this question as, why shouldnt we hire you? There 3 ways to

tackle this question. Judge the situation and use one of them.

First way: Use your sense of humour. If the interview is proceeding in thelight way and you have built up a good rapport with the interviewer, youcan get out of it by saying Icecream. Accompany it with a right bodylanguage.

Second Way: If you have to answer this question seriously, give aweakness which doesnt relate to the job under discussion. For example,you can say, I have been using a camera since childhood but I still dont

know how to mend it. If it is spoiled, I will need to take it to an expert.

Third way: Understand the requirement of the role under discussion andsay that others accuse you of having that weakness but you think that it isimportant for your work. For example, if the job needs a detailed studyand leaving a single step might need you to re-run the whole process saythat My colleagues accuse me of having a too much eye for detail but I


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have experienced that to do this work you need to go into details rather than cutting corners. I have worked with people following a shorter routeand doing the whole exercise again, which I would not prefer to do.

W hat is your greatest achievement?

The underlying agenda is to know what personal qualities were required toachieve it. D ont go back too far to answer this question as this might givean impression that you have not achieved anything since then. Find arelevant answer in the recent past for this question. If you are a fresher andhave been a topper of your college or university, you can say that duringthe interview.

A re you ambitious?

You can say that I am very ambitious in the way that I dont like to get toget a feeling of stagnancy. I want that I should always be getting newexperiences and learning new things.

W hat qualities would you look for, if you were recruiting someone forthis position?

To answer this question, you need to analyze the requirements of the job profile before appearing for the interview. The answer to this questionwould estimate your understanding of the role under discussion.

A re you speaking to some other companies? Or how is your jobsearch going on?

This question gives you an opportunity to let the interviewer know thatother companies are also interested in hiring you and gives you leveragewhile negotiating the salary. You can say, Yes, I am in the final round of discussion with two other companies. Approach the interviewer as aProblem Solver and not as a Job Beggar.

W hich companies are you talking to?

You can maintain your integrity by refusing to disclose the names. Youcan simply say, they havent notified these openings so I believe theywould not like their names to be revealed. At times, taking thecompetitors names might increase your chances of being hires. Analyzethe situation and answer accordingly.


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A re you ready to relocate?

You can say, for a right position and right company relocation should not be a problem. D o not close the discussion at the earlier stage by sayingNo

Y ou have stayed for a long time with your last company- W hy?

Staying with the same company for too long may be considered as thecandidate being un-ambitious. While answering this question you can say,Yes, I preferred to stay with them all this while because I was regularlyadding value to my experience there and I was growing as a professional.

W hat was your biggest mistake?

Theres nothing wrong in admitting a mistake. A human being is bound tocommit mistakes. This time it is advantageous to go back as far as

possible in the past and find an answer. The advantage of doing this is thata youngster is expected to commit more mistakes than a mature andseasoned person. This would give an impression that since that time youhave committed mistakes but not that big. Take the word mistake asliberally as possible and go back to your student life to answer thisquestion. Probably you can say, if I could go back to my student life, Iwould have studied Biology instead of Math.


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H r interview questions part 2

W hy havent you got a job yet?This question will usually arise if it has been sometime since you finished

your studies and are still in the market without a job. You can say that, I

have been offered some tempting positions in the last few days but had toturn them down as I did not find them right for my candidature. You canfollow it up with some examples.You do not have all the experience we are seeking for this position.To answer this question, you again need to analyze the requirements of

the role properly and match them to your candidature. If you meet most of the requirements, you can say that you have most of the qualities neededfor this role and for the remaining you are always open to learning them.You can follow this up with an example from your last job where youlearnt and did things that you didnt know earlier. Stay confident while

answering this question.W hy do you want to quit your present job?The reasons for you to quit the present job could be numerous, may be

you don't get well along with your boss or your salary is too less but itsnot good to make derogatory remarks about your present company in aninterview. You can give a more practical answer like, my presentcompany is not able to offer me further growth opportunities and I have afeeling that its the time for me to grow up in hierarchy and learn further Have you ever made a mistake at work? How did you rectify it?Everybody makes mistakes, there's nothing wrong in admitting it. In the

interview you can say that yes , there have been times when you havemade mistakes and learnt from them. Whatever you could correctyourself, you did that and for the rest you went back to your senior andtook his help to sort it out.W hat major problems did you face in your last role?The agenda of this question is to understand if You caused the problem Could it have been avoided? Your attitude to solve it.

It is safer to mention a problem which was caused by an external partyrather than the problems within internal parties. May be you can take anexample of the problem caused by a customer, vendor. D iscuss what youdid to solve the problem. If you took some leadership role also in thewhole process, talk about it.W here do you see yourself 5 years from now?By asking this question, the interviewer wants to see, how ambitious the

candidate is. You can say that, 5 years down the line I would like to seemyself in a responsible position where I can make important decisions in


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the favor of company and the company treats me as its asset. I am surethat this company can offer me growth opportunities like this.H ow do you feel about doing repetitive work?You can say that I understand that every job has an element of repetitive

work but I enjoy fulfilling all the aspects of my job with equal enthusiasmand give them my 100%.H ow did you manage to attend this interview during your working

hours?Everybody knows that you would not ask permission from your boss to

appear for an interview. You can answer this question by simply sayingthat you have taken a off from the office to appear for this interview.W ould you like to work in a team or on your own?The agenda behind this question is to understand if you are a team player

or a solo performer. It might be risky to choose any one of them as therole for which they are considering you might need you to be a team

player but the career progression which they might consider for you downa years time may need you to handle a more autonomous position. It is

better to answer this question by saying that I dont have any such preference. I can comfortably handle both the situations, as the needarises. Now back it up with examples where you successfully worked ina team and where you performed an autonomous roleIf your last boss was present here, what do you think he would tell usabout you?This is again a question which can be answered in two ways.

First way: If the situation is light, you can say that, I am the diamond of his team, you must pick me up. This needs to be accompanied by a right

body language.Second way: If the discussion is proceeding in a serious manner, you can

pick up a formal appraisal he gave you and say that I think he wouldrepeat it here.H as your career developed as you had liked? The agenda behind this question is to understand if there had been times

of dip in your career and if you lay the blame for them on others. Theresnothing to be ashamed of if there have been short gap in your

employment. You can justify it by giving a convincing reason. Look atyour qualifications and social environment and relate your achievementsto them, to answer this question.W hat would you do if your team ceased to perform?The agenda behind this question is to understand your management style.

A good answer to this question could be, I will try to establish the reasonsfor non-performance of the team and try to eradicate them.


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W ould you take up this job if we offered it to you?Again there are two ways to handle this question.

First Way: If you have built up a good rapport with the interviewer bynow you can ask a more direct question, Are you offering it to me? (with asmile and right body language). If they say Yes, you can say that off course, based on what we have discussed till now I am enthusiastic intaking up this position. How soon would you be able to get me a writtenoffer? Second Way: Alternatively you can say, based on what we have

discussed till now, I will be happy to take up this position but there arestill certain things that need to be discussed.Y our expected salary?D on't jump at a figure when you are asked this question during the

personal interview. Try to turn the ball back into the interviewers court

and ask him the type of salary the company offers for a position like this.Still, if you are required to answer this question, mention a range rather than talking about an exact figure but don't keep the range too vast, youwill be offered the one at the lower end. Probably you can say, I should becomfortable with something in the range of mid fifties.W hat will you do if you are offered a job with a salary higher thanthis? By asking this question the interviewer tries to analyze if the candidate

will leave the job for a couple of thousands. Recruiting a candidate costsmoney to the company so they would like to hire somebody who has some

loyalty towards the company. You can answer this question by saying thatthough you know the attraction of money every job offers but you wouldfirst try to analyze the growth opportunities with both the jobs. If your

present company can offer you the desired growth with the industry trend,you would not switch. You will discuss the issue with your senior and ask his views on your growth in the present job and if you see that there is a

potential to grow in the present job, you will stick otherwise you will politely inform him about your decision to move ahead in life.

Do you want to ask us something about the company?When you are going for a job interview, go prepared. Try to find out the

latest information about the company. When you are asked this question,you can ask interesting questions like the opportunities for you to grow inthe company, the expansion plans of the company and the chances for youto grow there. If the company has been in news recently, you can ask questions related to that also


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Group Discussion topics with answers

G roup Discussion Topics & A nswers

1. Is coalition politics here to stay? The following points could be discussed under this topic:

Nature of coalition politics. Indecisiveness of elections. No particular party is getting the peoples mandate. Advantage of coalition politics inenabling formation of government. Flipside of coalition politics- a partywith a handful of seats become powerful. Government falls before tenure.Fresh elections each time. Suggest a way out of this problem, for e.g.:once a party pledges support to a coalition, it will not withdraw its supportuntil it has watched a governments performance for at least threeyears...etc The future -will it only have coalitions ,emerging politicaltrends...etc...

2. Does India need a dictator? The following points could be discussed under this topic:The current political structure. D rawbacks of it. Bureaucracy, layers indecision making, anarchy. D ictatorship would mean centralized power and faster decision making. But, country run on whims and fancies of anindividual. Freedom on individuals could be clamped..etc....Present a

balanced argument for and against and take up your position on the issue.3. Is India moving away from a secularist state? The following points could be discussed under this topic:D efine secularism.Constitution calls our country such a state, but how

things have changed over the last 50 years.Spread of nationalism. D ivisioninto majority and minority groups-e.g. benefits given to minority groups

perceived as a threat by others. Role of non-tolerant neighbors in fuellingfundamentalism. It is a passing phenomenon. We have the nationalcharacter to overcome this....Points along these lines can be discussed.4. Education in India-or the lack of it. The following points could be discussed under this topic:D iscuss current education system. D iscuss our sociologicalstructure.Poverty which forces kids to drop out to supplement familyincome.Vicious circle-poverty due to lack of education and vice

versa.Suggest solutions to get out of this-for e.g., governments are doing acommendable job with the midday meal schemes but we need more of such efforts. Going down further , why restrict it to government alone?why cant private people, NGOs and other voluntary bodies come forwardto do the same? How about tapping corporate funds for such causes.....etc.....5. W hat ails Indian sports?


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The following points could be discussed under this topic:A nation of 950 million, we fail to produce great champions barring theoccasional Vishwanathan Anand or Geet Sethi. Sports system steeped in

bureaucracy. Overriding popularity of cricket leading to neglect in other sports.Traditionally , sports not accorded much importance by us as acareer. Need to develop sports from the primary school level-"catch emyoung". Various incentives to be given to budding sportsmen likeacademic credits, sports in lieu of a few other subjects etc. D evelopmentof sports infrastructure, making it amenable and affordable...etc.....6 . The A ge of Information. The following points could be discussed under this topic:Today a plethora of sources to provide information-Newspapers, radio,Television, Internet etc. Information available at the touch of a button.Greater decision making power to the individual. Also easier decisionmaking for the individual.Information is the key to ones success today.

One who is more informed forges ahead. The flipside-informationoverkill. At times deciding is tough due to too much information ...etc.....7. Is Philosophy just arm chair theory? (This is an example of an abstract topic which is thrown up to studentsonce in a while by the examiners)The following points could be discussed under this topic:Talk what you know about this topic . Talk of its relevance in day to daylife( or irrelevance if you feel so..). Talk of its influence in literature e.g.Influence of K ant on the romantic poets especially Wordsworth or of Bacon , Voltaire et al on the "Enlightenment"period etc. Talk of its

influence in politics e.g. Influence of Nietszche on Hitler and subsequentgenocide during Nazi regime etc. Talk of ethics and morals and their importance in life. talk of Indian philosophy. the Gita . D iscuss whether we use any of these in our lives and their importance in moulding our values...etc...8. Success is all about human relations The following points could be discussed under this topic:The most important skill for success in to have people on your side. Onecan get a lot of work done by superiority and hierarchy but one cannot bea leader of men unless one maintains excellent human relations.Its

importance not only in professional life but personal life too. K nowledgeand expertise does one no good if one cannot maintain proper humanrelations...etc.....9. Borderless worlds-Dream or reality? The following points could be discussed under this topic:Globalization of business. Opening up of the various economies. Crosscultural exchanges. More and more people getting an opportunity to work


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in different lands among different peoples and absorbing a bit of their values and culture. This leads to greater tolerance and understanding of others' problems. The other side-people despite all this have nationalisticand regionalist chauvinism . A world divided into first, second and thirdworlds. People still talk of "their" economy and not world economy.Europe has shown a step in this direction with EU but its feasibilityremains to be seen. So while people clamor for globalization, they stillthink only in terms of their national interests...etc...10. Quality is a myth in India. The following points could be discussed under this topic:The Indian products and manufacturing techniques. Why are we unable tosustain against global competition. Our mindset towards quality. Indianattitude of "chalta hai" which leads to an undemanding customer which inturn lets people get away with substandard products and services. Todaycompetition is forcing our industry to adhere to global standards so we are

getting there in terms of quality. Examples of our software industry whichis recognized for its ability to meet global standards etc. Since the topic isgeneral, we can extrapolate it to our quality of life-the air , the water , thefacilities we have, the infrastructure we have, the services we get and putup with etc.

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15 Common Mistakes in Resume