Job Searching Etiquette: 8 Things to
Leave Off Your Resume from diannegottsman.com
14 Sep
2011 By: Diane Gottsman
If it’s time to update your resume, you’re probably thinking
about everything you need to include. But it’s just as important to consider
what to leave out. Resumes are designed to be succinct, quick snapshots of your
experience and achievements. Your resume needs to communicate your work history
and education in a concise, easy-to-read way. Too much information not only
makes reading your resume a chore, but also can reflect on your professionalism
and judgment.
Here are 8 things to leave off your resume:
1. Excruciating detail. For each job you’ve held, the
best approach is to list your title, the name of the company you’ve worked for,
the dates you were there (month and year is enough detail here) and your chief
duties in the role. If you’ve been in the workforce for a while and have
sufficient experience to show your chops, there’s no need to mention the job
you had in high school. Keep in mind that most experts recommend keeping a
resume to one page.
2. Anything that should go in the cover letter. The
resume is a brief timeline of experience and accomplishments. For anything
beyond that, let the cover letter do the work of adding enthusiasm, personality
and further explanation where needed.
3. Explanations for gaps in your employment history.
Maybe you left the workforce to care for children. Maybe you were unemployed
for several months after a layoff. Maybe you took a couple of months off
between jobs to travel. List your employment history as it is and be prepared
to explain the situation during the interview.
(If you took time off to go back to school to get further
education or a degree that is relevant to the job you’re seeking, add it to
your resume.)
4. Temporary jobs of necessity. Maybe you delivered
pizzas for a while after you were laid off from your last professional
position. Leave off any jobs you took just to pay the bills unless they are
relevant to the position you’re after now.
5. Personal details. The resume is not a place to go
into your personal life – the HR director doesn’t need to know your age, your
marital status and how many children you have.
6. Hobbies or “Interests”. Use your best judgment
when including them. Some employers find that a quick line about your interests
provides insight into the kind of person you are. For example, if you’re a
runner and you know you are submitting your resume to another runner, listing
that might get you noticed. For some positions, listing roles in
community organizations can be helpful. Bottom line: if an interest or
volunteer position contributes to the image of you as an ideal employee for the
job you’re seeking, it may be worth including. The phrase “interests” sounds
more professional than “hobbies,” and keep it to one line.
7. Your political affiliation or role as a Tea Party
rally organizer. Leave off any references to religious or political group
affiliations.
8. Fibs. Don’t fudge on duties, titles, dates,
degrees, even GPAs. Not only is it the wrong thing to do, but many such
“exaggerations” can be detected with a quick check of references. Be honest.
But also remember that honesty doesn’t mean listing every detail about you. You
don’t have to offer up the fact that it took you six years to get your 4-year
degree or that your grades didn’t exactly land you on the dean’s list in
college.
Finally, be sure to leave typos and spelling
errors off your resume – do not rely solely on spell check. Hire a professional
to do a quick “fluff” or ask a trusted friend to give your resume a once
over. With some care and attention, every word on your resume will paint
a picture of you as a viable candidate for the job you are hopeful to secure.========================================
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In addition to this blog, I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, "Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:
www.amazon.com/author/paulbabicki
If you would like to listen to experts in all aspects of Netiquette and communication, try my radio show on BlogtalkRadio and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and Yahoo. I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ Rider University and PSG of Mercer County, NJ.
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