Writing a Relevant Resume

If you have decided to rewrite your resume, you are probably gathering information, getting organized, and trying to find that old resume file. And, as you stare at the piles of paper, different files, and past job reviews, you are now trying to decide which information to include and not include while also ensuring it’s in-line with today’s search engines and job openings.

Tip #1 – Don’t include ALL of your job history

If you have been working for 15 or 20 years, the jobs earliest in your career are most likely not relevant to future positions. For example, during high school, I was a bank teller and cleaned hotel rooms on the weekends. That was almost 25 years ago; therefore, not relevant to potential employers.

Tip #2 – Consider adding or not adding your side business

If you are in direct sales and use that as a “side hustle,” you will have to determine whether or not that is relevant to the job opening. If you are seeking a sales position, it may be relevant as you are good at building relationships, establishing communication, and managing accounts. If you believe the employer may see your side business as a distraction, then don’t include it on your document.

Tip #3 – High school is not important if you have a college degree

If you attended college or graduated with a degree, the high school information does NOT need to be on the resume.

Tip #4 – Work history in two separate industries

Maybe you used to be in sales and you are transitioning into varied accounting roles—then focus on your accounting positions first and put your marketing work history in a separate section. Focus on the types of positions that are relevant to the jobs you are seeking.

Tip #5 – Hobbies aren’t that interesting

Many years ago, people included hobbies on their documents and indicated interests such as running, traveling, and spending time with family. Unless you are a hiker and you are applying at a company that makes hiking shoes, it’s not relevant. In fact, sometimes hobbies can appear to actually pull your attention away from work.

Relevance is key when you are working on your updated resume. It shouldn’t read like a laundry list of every single thing you have ever done. So, before you add more information, think it through and remember that hiring managers make decisions quickly about who to call-in for interviews. Get to the point quickly and ensure you make it through to an interview so that you can WOW the employer with your skills and knowledge.