Your resume is the first thing a prospective employer is going to see when hiring for an open position. Because headhunters spend an average of ten seconds on each resume, you need to make it count. Most job seekers know what they should put on a resume but are less knowledgeable about the things that are best left out.
HERE ARE 10 THINGS TO LEAVE OUT OF A RESUME IN ORDER TO AVOID DERAILING YOUR JOB SEARCH:
An insane objective
It’s great if you want to become a billionaire or spend every penny you earn on your five dogs, but this information doesn’t belong on your resume. What may sound fun to you will not interest a prospective employer. A strange objective is a sure way to keep anyone from reading the rest of your resume.
Tasks without results
Both your place of employment and your responsibilities are important. List your achievements because the results of your efforts matter. Along with the tasks, be sure to mention the results. For example, if you provide essay help online, be sure to write that dozens of students have improved their grades because of your help.
Unimportant achievements
Winning an eating contest may be the high point of your life, but it doesn’t belong on a resume. List only your professional and community achievements on a resume and leave the personal victories in the trophy case.
Private Information
Leave out your private information, including sexual orientation, marital status, number of children and any political or religious affiliations. This information is not appropriate for a resume and can have a negative effect on your job search.
Negative information
We’ve all had bad things happen to us, but your resume is not the place to discuss them. You do not want your resume to cast you in a negative light. You want to make as positive an impression as possible. It might be a good idea to avoid the dark stories during an interview, too.
Your appearance
Unless you are applying for a modeling or acting job, nix the info about your appearance. You might be very proud of your long legs, thick mustache or full lips, but the HR manager only cares about your experience and skills as they relate to the job.
Weird hobbies
We recommend that you not mention your love of Dungeons and Dragons or breeding giant anacondas. If you list hobbies, try some that are more universal, such as jogging or traveling.
Unprofessional E-mail
Avoid using an e-mail address like notafake@gmail.com. If this is you, it’s a good idea to change it to one that is more professional. If you can’t think of one, try starting with the first letter of your first name, followed by your surname. It may be something like “J.Smith@gmail.com”.
Salary history
Do not list your previous salary from other jobs.
Doing so can give the HR manager a few negative impressions of you:
- You expect too much and obviously overestimate yourself
- You expect too little and obviously underestimate yourself
- You like to boast
- You are a sad sight
Also, avoid listing any salary expectations you might have.
Lies
While you want to promote yourself in the best way possible, you need to do so honestly and accurately. It’s okay to exaggerate some information a little bit (writing that you are very helpful, talented and have perfect communication skills), your resume should be free of lies. It’s sometimes tempting to lie about work history and experience, but a headhunter can check this with one call or e-mail. Be honest, because you don’t want to lose out on a job because of a lie.
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