As you start to design your new resume for today’s marketplace, you may be worried about all of the items you need to include in the document. From education to professional experience, you want to ensure you cover it all to land that next great job opportunity. However, there are certain things that should NOT be on your resume.
#1 – Do not include an objective statement. If you are sending a resume to a potential employer, the objective is to obtain an interview and, eventually, a new job. Utilize this space for something that means more, such as a targeted career summary.
#2 – Don’t feel as if you need to list every single job position you have had since leaving high school. If you have been working for 20+ years, you may choose to only list more recent years on your resume—and, that’s okay. In fact, for most of my clients, I do only include the last 10-15 years of relevant positions.
#3 – Unless you are working at a well-known Fortune 500 company, you don’t need to include a summary of the organization. Use this space to discuss YOUR accomplishments and the responsibilities that you had while working at the company. After all, the resume isn’t about the places you have worked; it’s about what YOU can do for a new employer.
#4 – Don’t include the statement, “References Available Upon Request.” This is a waste of space and it is understood that you will provide references when the time comes during the interview process. Instead, add volunteerism or community involvement in this section.
#5 – Finally, and perhaps most important, don’t include personal information. There should be no references to your marital status, number of children, or religious affiliations. Including any of this information can turn into a human resources nightmare and may put you out of the job competition.
If you’re concerned that you have this information on your resume and would like to know more information on how to eliminate it, please contact me and I will work with you to ensure your document is prepared professionally and ready for the job searching process.
