Writing a resume requires more than just listing your employment history. To help you write a great resume, I’ll start by giving you tips on what to No to include on a resume. Enjoy.
1. Salary expectations/history. Even if you’re responding to an ad that specifically asks for this information, don’t! If your expectations or salary history are too high, a potential employer will write you off right off the bat. If it’s too low, you’ve lost bargaining power, or worse, you’ll be hired possibly thousands less than you’re worth. It is a no-win situation. Remember: it is always best to discuss salary requirements at the interview.
2. Personal information. This is a huge waste of valuable resume space. No employer will make the interview call based on your age, marital status, or “excellent” health. If your excellent health is directly related to the position you’re seeking (perhaps a warehouse job where you have to lift heavy objects), the time to bring it up is at the interview. We’d like to think there are enough legal protections against discrimination that disclosing information like age etc. wouldn’t be a problem, but unfortunately, you’d only be fooling yourself.
3. Hobbies or personal interests. The only time it’s a good idea to list them on a resume is when their interests are relevant to the position you’re applying for. For the most part, you can cover this in the actual interview.
4. corny tricks. Cute or funny graphics on a resume immediately send the message that you are not to be taken seriously. In addition, they divert the employer’s attention from your achievements and qualifications. I once received a resume from a woman named Candy Kayn. Trying to capitalize on the “cuteness” of her name, she placed candy cane graphics all over her resume. Within seconds, she was in the trash.
5. Your image. Again, despite protections against discrimination, the images simply give employers another reason to reject a resume. If they don’t like your appearance, if they think you look too young, too old, too fat, too skinny, too handsome, not handsome, etc. – the resume can be discarded without reading it. You want the employer to make judgments based on your talents and qualifications, not your appearance. So never include an image. (Models and performers are the exception to this rule, as their appearance is part of their qualifications for some jobs. However, they generally submit 8″x10″ photos separately, not on the resume itself.) .
6. Reasons for leaving previous jobs. These never count in your favor. If you left a job involuntarily, that’s a strike against you (“fired” always sounds a bit like “fired” to some employers). If you left voluntarily, that is also a blow against you. “Maybe,” the employer thinks, “he won’t get this job either.” It is best to never bring up the subject.
7″.References available upon request.“The only information on the resumes you create should be what is specifically related to the job you are trying to get… Cheat Sheets can be presented and discussed during the interview.
In summary
Keep these little big-hitting things off your resume and you’ll be successful. By impressing an employer with your resume, they will be more than happy to schedule an interview with you.
Good luck in your job search!
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