Top 15 Things You Can Leave Off Your Resume

Top 15 Things You Can Leave Off Your ResumeTop 15 Things You Can Leave Off Your ResumeThere are some things that simplydont belong on your resume. Including them can get your resume knocked out of consideration for a job before it gets a thorough review. You might think youre giving the employer many reasons to hire you, but when it comes to resume writing, there is such a thing as too much information. Employers are looking for reasons to screen out applicants when reviewing a batch of resumes in order to produce a manageable group of candidates to interview. Make sure you dont include the wrong information, which is anything that might lead the company to conclude you are bedrngnis motivated or qualified to do the job.Review information on howemployers decide which applicant to hirebefore starting work on your resume. Then work on revamping your resume, so it includes information that will help you get noticed by the hiring manager. 30 Seconds to Make an Impression Recruiters c an take as little as thirty seconds to conduct an initial reviewof your resume. Thats not long. You should avoid cluttering your document with unnecessary information that might make it harder for employers to find the most qualifying elements of your background. If the hiring manager cant quickly skim your resume to determine whether youve got the right qualifications, you may be out of contention for the job. The resume reader should immediately be drawn to skills and information relevant to the position they are seeking to fill. Take thetime to match your qualifications to the jobwhen deciding what information toinclude on your resume. Youll be doing both the hiring manager and yourselfafavor. Showing the reader youve got the right stuff will make it easier for the hiring manager to decide youre worth taking the time to interview. Top 15 Things You Should Leave Off Your Resume Here are the top fifteen things that should not be included on a resume. Leave them off, and keep yo ur resume sharply focused on the skills and qualificationsnecessary for the job for which youre applying. Long paragraphs without bullets.Employers might gloss over sections of your resume and miss key evidence of your qualifications if paragraphs are too dense with text. A resume should be easy to read and decipher. Nobody wants to read lengthy descriptions of what youve done at every job you have had. Review these tips forwriting a resume experience section.Statements in your objective or summary that point to what you want to gain from the job. Your focus should be on what you can provide to the employer. Your goal is to sell the hiring manager on picking you for an interview. Heres what toinclude in a resume summary statement. General descriptions of duties without reference to how you added value. Employers dont want to see your job description they want to learn about the skills and assets you utilized to achieve real results. Take the time toquantify your achievementsand show the reader, at a glance, what you have accomplished at each position you have held.Phrases like Responsibilities or Duties Included. Make your resume about what you actually accomplished, not what you were supposed to do in the job. Hereshow to include your accomplishments on your resume. Starting stichworts with I. Start your statements withskill, action, or accomplishment words,suchas analyzed, created, or reduced, to engage the reader instead of nouns or pronouns. Even though your resume is about you, its more about showing the hiring manager youre qualified for the job.Irrelevant experiences,especially from the distant past. Every statement on your resume should lead the employer to the conclusion that you have the rightqualifications for the job. Your goal is for the recruiter to spend their time on your most significant relevant experiences. The same holds true for skills. Be sure the skills you include are current and relevant to the job, otherwiseleave them off your resume. Empty or flowery language such as exquisite, outstanding, or interesting.Every phrase on your resumeshould point to a specific skill or accomplishment.Otherwise it is just a distraction. Stick to the facts, and keep your tone simple and focused.Misspellings or grammatical errors.Your resume serves as a sample of yourwriting skillsand evidence of whether or not you are detail oriented. If you have a typo, someone will probably notice, and it could be held against you. Check out theseproofreading tipsbefore you use your resume to apply for jobs. Even better, ask someone to proofread it for you. It can be hard to catch your own mistakes. Personal information suchas height, weight, birth date, age, sex, religion, political affiliation, or place of birth.Employers shouldnt make employment decisions based on these factors and may resent the fact you are tempting them to do so. Keep your resume focused on the facts. The exception is if you arewriting a curriculum vitaefor a country where the practice is to include personal information.Hobbies or interests that do not point to desirable workplace skills or bear any relevance to the job.Candidates, especially experienced individuals, should have more compelling information to share in the limited space of their resume. Instead, considera resume skills sectionwith your skills that are most closely related to the job. Weak assertions about academic achievements suchas GPAs below 3.0 or mentions of makingthe deans list for only a semester or two. Dont bring academic achievement to the recruiters attention unless it is an area of strength.Theres no point in trying to impress a hiring manager with something thats not impressive. Hereswhen to include a GPA on a resume.Photographs,unless you are applying for a modeling or acting job.Employers dont want to be drawn into allegations of discrimination. Provide theinternetadresse of your LinkedIn profileif you think your appearance is an asset. Heresinformation on whether you sh ould include a photo on your resume. Reasons for leaving your previous employers.Thiscanseemlikeyouaremakingexcuses.There is no need to justify your career moves. This information isnt relevant to why you should be hired for the job for which youre applying.Names and contact information of former supervisors.Furnish aseparate list of your referenceswhen requested. Give those individuals a heads up when they might be contacted by an employer, so they are prepared.Space fillers like References Available Upon Request.They take up precious space and may cause you to leave off more relevant information. It goes without saying that you will furnish references if requested. You dont need to advertise the fact. What Employers Do Want in a Resume What do employers want? According to aCareerBuilder survey, heres what employers want when they receive resumes Customized for their open position 61%Accompanied by a cover letter 49%Addressed to the hiring manager or recruiter by name 26%Links to the applicants online portfolio, blog, or website 21% Review a list of the top skills to put on your resume, and guidelines for what should be included on a resume. Focusing on your most valuable assets will help you get an interview - and a job offer.