The average time human eyes scan your resume is around 20 seconds. That's how long you have to impress someone with your previous experience, skills and relevant information to the position at hand. Therefore, you should get rid of as much excess material as you can in a resume and only keep the stuff that employers want to see.
Less is more in this case because every bit of relevant information supports your personal brand and the message you want to send to HR. You need to strike the right balance between just enough data to pique someone's interest and leaving the hiring manager wanting to hear more of your story in an interview. Power up your resume by removing these 10 things that no longer apply in a contemporary setting.
1. Multiple Phone Numbers
You only need to provide one phone number, and it's the one that you access most regularly. Simplify your contact information as much as possible.
2. Objective Section
The Objective section does not say anything about your story. However, a Career Summary section at the top of the page highlights your most important attributes and explains why you're the perfect fit for this position. Keep your relevant information to three bullet points and 50 words tops, as your career summary is just a simple snapshot.
3. Fluff Words
Fluff words are descriptive, qualitative or partial terms that recruiters do not want to see. Remove the fluff to leave only concrete examples and relevant information about how your work experience prepared you for this moment.
4. Discriminating Information
Like it or not, companies may favor one type of worker over another, even though blatant discrimination is illegal. Remove any mention of your age, sex, religion, marital status and ethnicity. Do not include a photo unless it's part of an industry requirement, such as in modeling or acting.
5. Graduation Year
The fact that you have a degree from an accredited university is good enough. Leave out your high school, college graduation year and GPA.
6. Typos and Grammatical Mistakes
Even one misspelled word shows you lack an attention to detail. Have a grammar-gifted friend look over the document to catch any typos or grammar faux pas.
7. Basic Technical Prowess
Most people know how to use word processors, spreadsheets, slideshows and Internet browsers. If the position requires knowledge of specialized software, list any that you know that are similar.
8. Unrelated Experiences
Include only relevant information regarding your previous work experience. If you worked as a car salesman for six months and this job is an entry-level IT position, you can exclude any positions that have nothing to do with IT work.
9. References
References are a separate document. Don't say "references available upon request" because every employer checks references.
10. Longer Length
If your resume doesn't need to be more than one page, keep it short. The length should correlate to the complexity of the position. Doctors, lawyers and executives need longer documents to explain professional experience, but most resumes should stay at one page.
Your professional story should include only the most relevant information for one key reason. You want the other person to call and ask to hear more, which is where the interview comes in handy.
Photo courtesy of sarah.at Flickr.com
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