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10 Things to Take Off Your Resume

resume-10-itemstoremoveBy Adrienne Erin
Contributor, Online Career Tips

Finding employment is a difficult job in and of itself. Having a resume with unnecessary details will only make that job harder for you. When an employer sees your resume, it reflects who you are and whether you might be qualified for the job. However, there are many things that will make them think the opposite. Your resume should show your best attributes, so avoid these items to reflect that:

  1. Objective Statements

At the first stage of the recruiting process, most employers will require a cover letter. Instead of containing your objective statement, state why you want the job and what you plan to do with it in the cover letter. It keeps things less redundant and gives you more space for the important stuff.

  1. Excessive College Experience

While it might be tempting to list all of your collegiate activities such as organizations or Greek affiliations – especially if you are a recent graduate – the only way this will help you is if there is a direct relationship between the job and your affiliation. Employers don’t care if you acted in five plays or played intramural soccer. You can refer to your college experiences during the interview process.

  1. Third-Person Voice

The employer knows it’s your resume; don’t reiterate that fact under every experience entry by writing in third person. Simply use past tense, without bringing your name (or “I”) into it.

  1. Passive Voice

You want your resume to use strong, action-driven words to reflect your achievements. Instead of saying, “Got 150 people to attend event,” say “Achieved attendance of 150 people.” When you’re describing a previous job, don’t say “Would talk to customers over the phone.” Keep the text strong; say “Maintained correspondence between the customer and the company.”

  1. Old/Irrelevant Job Experience

Keep the information on your resume relevant to the job for which you’re applying. If you’re switching careers, make your experience appear relevant. Remove the jobs that you held when you first graduated or that you worked while you were in high school.

  1. Fluff Statements

If you wouldn’t say it in real life, you shouldn’t use it on your resume. Additionally, avoid vague or generalized terms, such as dynamic or great. Instead of telling recruiters you’re great, show them with your work.

  1. Excessive Personal Information

Keep the information on your resume purely professional. Don’t mention your love of stamp collecting or how you conquered a drug addiction, unless perhaps they are highly relevant to the job. Avoid stating your age, race or marriage status – this is asking for trouble for both you and the employer. Employers don’t want to be accused of illegal discrimination because of the content on your resume. If you’re older and searching for a job, take the attention away from the dates and instead bring focus to your achievements.

  1. References When Available

During this day and age, employers expect you to have references available. It’s a top pet peeve with recruiters for a reason. Take it off and instead have your references handy should you be asked for them.

  1. Unprofessional Contact Information

It’s standard formatting to keep your email address on your resume. However, if you’re using an email such as “lordofwarcraft@gmail.com” or “hotmamma2008@hotmail.com” no one will take you seriously. Sign up for a free email address from Gmail with just your first and last name, if it’s available, and if not, try some of these combinations:

– FirstLast@gmail.com
– FirstMLast@gmail.com
– LastF@gmail.com
– LastFM@gmail.com
– FMLast@gmail.com

  1. Weird Format/Design

Having an interesting design will certainly make your resume stand out from the rest. However, unless you’re a graphic designer or going into a creative field, keep your resume simple. Also, have consistent format – if you use bullet points for one aspect, use them throughout your resume.

It’s understandable to be proud of your achievements. Keep the relevant information and focus on the job you want – that will reflect you better than unnecessary information.

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