Do you know that recruiters spend only 6 seconds reviewing an individual résumé, and that 98% of candidates don’t land an interview?
If you want to be part of the 2% of candidates who get interviewed, you need a solid résumé. In addition to the step-by-step guide on how to write a résumé, here is a list of things you should never put on your résumé to help you stand out and increase your chances of getting that interview.
20 things you should never put on your résumé
- Title — Don’t put a title at the top of your résumé. Do not type “Résumé,” “CV,” or “Curriculum vitae” as a title.
- Jargon — Don’t use jargon or colloquial language. Keep the language impeccable, simple, and free of bombastic words.
- Errors — Make sure your résumé has no typos, grammar mistakes, or factual errors (like getting a company’s name wrong).
- Abbreviations — Avoid abbreviations or acronyms; they can be confusing and distracting. Use the expanded forms.
- Narrative style — Don’t use too much text. Use scannable bullet points to convey more with less verbosity.
- Photograph — Don’t attach a photograph unless specifically requested.
- References — Don’t include your references’ contact information. This is relevant only after an offer has been made.
- Age — Don’t mention your age or date of birth. Employers need to know what you can do for them.
- Negative stories — Don’t explain anything negative. Your résumé is a promotional document; explain yourself in person after you’ve scored an interview.
- Personal details — Don’t provide marital status, race, sexual orientation, etc., unless they’re somehow differentiators for the job.
- Header — Don’t put relevant information in the file’s header; automated processing software may not read it.
- High school — Don’t include high school unless you didn’t attend college.
- Formatting inconsistency — Format is as important as content. Use the same format throughout.
- “I” — Don’t use personal pronouns. It’s obvious everything on your résumé is about you.
- Tense — Don’t use the present tense for past work. Only your current job should be in the present tense.
- Empty labels — Don’t use useless labels such as “name,” “phone,” or “e-mail.”
- Unprofessional email address — Many résumés are discarded due to an unprofessional email address.
- Salary — Completely unnecessary on your résumé. Salary comes later in the interview process.
- Business contact information — If you’re currently employed, don’t use your work contact details; use personal ones instead.
- Inaccurate information — Don’t lie or “inflate” your achievements. Most recruiters run a background check before finalizing an offer.
More tips
Your résumé should help potential employers quickly learn about you and how you can help their organization. Don’t waste that opportunity with unnecessary information. Keeping your résumé accurate and clear will increase your chances of getting to the next round of interviews.
