10 Things To Avoid Putting On Your Resume
Whether you are applying for a part-time job or internship or your first post-grad position, you will likely need to make a resume to send out to future employers. While it is important to have a solid resume with a page of experience, there are things to not include. The list is endless, but here are a few essential things to avoid putting on your resume.
1. Hobbies and interests
Unless your hobbies include skills that are related to your position, it is more important that you show how you have applied them to real-world experience. Just leave the “Hobbies and Interests” section of the resume off altogether and use it for other experience.
2. Irrelevant experience
If you are applying for a journalism position, it is best to leave your retail experience off your resume unless you can connect the two or you are low on experience. Keep your experience tailored to the job position and the industry it is.
3. Experience from high school
Unless you are applying for your first summer job or internship and do not have any experience, keep any experience from high school off your resume. College is a time when you are supposed to be gaining relevant experience, so include that.
4. Exact responsibilities from former positions
It is easy for employers to research what you did at your former positions. Instead of regurgitating job positions, keep it to the things you accomplished there. Use numbers if possible to show your value and show off things you did that went above and beyond.
5. Career objective
If you are applying for a position, it is obvious that you want that specific position in that particular field. You do not need to include a career objective that states that you want the job. Save this for LinkedIn and use the space for other things.
6. Anything beyond one page
Speaking of saving space. One of the most important things to avoid putting on your resume is too much. Keep your resume to one page. Employers go through hundreds of resumes and do not want to spend a ton of time looking at them. Keeping it to one page helps to ensure yours is not tossed out immediately without consideration.
7. Photos or visuals
Even if you are in a creative field, keep photos and visuals off your resume. It is important to keep your resume to save space. Keep your resume simple and avoid frilly designs, texts, and visuals to ensure that nothing is lost in translation when it is opened on another computer.
8. “References provided upon request”
When applying for a position, it is assumed that if needed, you will be able to provide references. There is no need to include this on your resume, as your supervisor will ask for references if needed. Save the space for more experiences.
9. Your address
Putting your entire address on your resume is not necessary. If you must, simply put your current city. If you are applying for a position in a city you do not live in, the employer may be less likely to hire you since they do not know if you can relocate.
10. Lies
Do not, under any circumstance under the sun, lie on your resume. Even if you get hired, which you likely will not, not being able to do something you said you could, will eventually be found out and this is grounds for terminations. Save yourself and your reputation by simply telling the truth.
What things to avoid putting on your resume have you made the mistake of using? Let us know in the comments!
