Remove These Items From Your Resume

When it comes to your resume, less is more. Hiring managers devote very little time to reading it, so it needs to be concise, clear and polished. Moreover, widespread use of applicant tracking software is prompting many job seekers to streamline and edit their resumes to make it past that initial screening. Here are a few items your resume no longer needs.

Objective Statement

Objective statements on resumes are outdated and often skipped over by the reader. The objective statement is all about you and what you want to achieve, but companies want to know what you can do for them, not what they can do for you. Your best bet is to omit it from your resume altogether. Instead, create a career summary or profile section that sums up your relevant qualifications in relation to the specific job and company you're applying to.

Photo

Never include a photo with your resume, unless the employer requests it. The lack of a photo helps prevent employers from using discriminatory practices in the hiring process. Save the professional headshot for your LinkedIn profile or other professional networking sites.

Address

Your resume need not list your full physical address. In fact, including your address may unwittingly exclude you from certain jobs, if the hiring manager thinks you live too far away. This is especially important if you are applying for jobs that require you to relocate. Communication between candidates and companies takes place primarily through email and phone these days, so your email address and phone number are sufficient.

Irrelevant Experience

If you've been working in the same industry for a number of years, include only the jobs that are within that industry. Any paid work or volunteer experience that is not related to your current career goals is likely too much information for prospective employers.

Cliches

Avoid the all-too-common mistake of filling your resume with overused buzzwords and cliched phrases, such as "team player" or "good communication skills." These phrases add little value to your resume and are too vague to communicate your true worth. Instead, use carefully selected keywords that specifically relate to the job at hand and describe what you can bring to the company.

Private Information

An employer should not be able to determine certain private things about you based on information included in your resume. These things include your race, age, gender, religion and sexual orientation. Employers are prohibited by law from asking about these things, and in order to prevent hiring bias, they will often trash resumes that give any inkling into this type of information.

During the editing and streamlining process, think like a hiring manager. For every part of your resume, ask yourself: Does this provide relevant information? Does this make me look more professional? Is this clearly stated and interesting? Try to include only the most relevant and compelling information; the rest is unnecessary.

Photo courtesy of Goldy at FreeDigitalPhotos.net