38 items that you must exclude from your resume right now
Creating a resume is a headache for anyone looking for work. A resume is your story that you tell the recruiter or potential employer. Agree that it will not be very pleasant to study the plot with unnecessary details or a large number of errors. We will tell you that it is time to throw it out of its history.
To begin with, you should not abuse standard words (responsible, stress-resistant, etc.), as well as apply an overly creative design, which in some cases can do more harm than good. Very often, a large number of details creep into the resume that annoys and sometimes even repels recruiters. To get invitations to more interviews, go over your resume and make sure that none of these 38 items are there.
1. Career goals
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You should not score your resume with boring template sentences, such as: "I want to work in your company and develop in this direction." It is better to explain as clearly as possible why you are interested in a particular position.
2. Excessive visualization
A large number of visual elements can complicate the analysis of your resume, and hence the decision-making process. You can add your own photo, but leave a variety of graphics and drawings for designers (they need to be in the resume).
3. A large number of monotonous text
Recruiters usually review resumes fairly quickly (in a minute, at best, and in 5 seconds - at worst), so your goal is to make it as readable as possible. Avoid large text blocks, it is better to use separately marked lists (the so-called bullet points).
4. Second page
If you have less than 5 years of work experience and your resume takes up more than one page, then this will definitely not add points to your piggy bank. Even if the summary and does not fit on one page, proper formatting can fix it.
5. A variety of fonts
Try to use one or two (as a last resort). If there are more, they will distract or even annoy HR-managers.
6. The phrase "Recommendations are available on request"
In the worst case, you will look too arrogant, at best - you could use this space to describe your skills and experience in more detail.
7. Enumeration of skills instead of experience
In most cases, it is recommended to adhere to the inverse chronology format (i.e., when your most recent experience is described at the very beginning). However, if you think that your recent experience should not be emphasized (perhaps it is not so relevant) or, say, you have to return to work after a long break, it is better to start your resume from the “Executive Summary” section . In this section you will be able to highlight your best skills and achievements that are relevant to the position you are applying for. But then you still need to paint your experience.
8. Your address
Think who is interested in it at all? If you apply for a position, you understand where you will have to go (walk / fly) if you receive a position and automatically agree with this.
9. Your work e-mail
Do you really want your future employer to know that you are using your work time and the computer of the company you are working at to find a job?
10. Your “creative” e-mail
If you use the same email address for 10 years, and you created it as a child, it is possible that the address will be similar to: princess12 @ ... com or mrhalk13 @ ... ru. If this is so, it is urgent to have a new box, otherwise a potential employer may misunderstand you.
11. Your specific hobbies
If you are fond of playing squash or doing semi-professional photography, you can leave it on your resume (and only if you are applying for a starting position and you do not have enough experience to fill out a resume). However, if you are fond of sewing dolls from old clothes or collecting airplanes from matches (and that happens), then by no means write about it, as some of these hobbies may seem too silly.
12. Your date of birth, marital status and religion
We live in the 21st century, the century of tolerance and equality. Any self-respecting employer will not ask you about these three factors (at least until the first meeting), so why write about this in the resume?
13. The nature of the tasks you performed
In most cases, recruiters are not interested in what you did every day (say, answered phone calls and emails), they are only interested in the result (for example, that you have exceeded the sales plan by 72%).
14. Irrelevant experience
If you have no experience at all and there is absolutely nothing to fill out a resume, then you should not indicate that you have been working at McDonalds for 6 months (and what happens).
15. Unpaid internship
Who cares whether your internship was paid or not? If you got a great experience - point it out, and be done with it.
16. Everything related to school
If you are not a freshman / sophomore, it does not make sense to list your school achievements in a resume. Better try to figure out how to make your student experience (organizing and participating in various events, etc.) more attractive.
17. Skills that are owned (or at least should be owned) by all
For example, the ability to work in MS Word or the skills to find information on the Internet.
18. Unused words
Why write “recycled” when you can write “used”, especially if you consider that the second is more accurate and simpler? Go over the text of the summary and ask yourself the question: “Do I use all these phrases in ordinary life?” If the answer is no, replace these words with simpler and more accessible words. Important: this clause is not applicable to professional terminology.
19. Professional slang
Despite the fact that professional terminology can be used and sometimes even necessary, slang should not be used. Make sure that everything in the resume is clear to the HR manager, otherwise the likelihood that your resume will not go beyond him will increase significantly.
20. Words that have a negative connotation
Including cases when you use them as positive (for example: "I solved these problems and corrected errors by ..."). Studies show that words such as “problem”, “error”, “failure” in the text of your resume may adversely affect how the recruiter perceives it.
21. Any words and phrases from the following list that annoy almost all recruiters (and not only). The list begins with “Best of the Kind” and continues like this:
22. Initiative.
23. Thinking out of the box
24. Able to work closely
25. A person you can rely on
26. Leader
27. Beneficiary
28. Result oriented
29. Team player
30. Pragmatic
31. Hardworking
32. Strategist
33. Dynamic
34. Motivated
35. Diligent
36. Proactive
37. Typos
Do not rely on just one automatic grammar checker in MS Word. Ask friends or acquaintances to take a look at your resume (and perhaps give advice on how to correct it).
38. Not true
With some exceptions do not speak untruths. Any false skills that you indicate in your resume can be checked either during the interview or in the first two weeks of your trial period. Sometimes the desire to learn means more to the employer than experience.
So, let's move on to the summary and the mistakes you make.
To begin with, you should not abuse standard words (responsible, stress-resistant, etc.), as well as apply an overly creative design, which in some cases can do more harm than good. Very often, a large number of details creep into the resume that annoys and sometimes even repels recruiters. To get invitations to more interviews, go over your resume and make sure that none of these 38 items are there.
Structure / Formatting
1. Career goals
')
You should not score your resume with boring template sentences, such as: "I want to work in your company and develop in this direction." It is better to explain as clearly as possible why you are interested in a particular position.
2. Excessive visualization
A large number of visual elements can complicate the analysis of your resume, and hence the decision-making process. You can add your own photo, but leave a variety of graphics and drawings for designers (they need to be in the resume).
3. A large number of monotonous text
Recruiters usually review resumes fairly quickly (in a minute, at best, and in 5 seconds - at worst), so your goal is to make it as readable as possible. Avoid large text blocks, it is better to use separately marked lists (the so-called bullet points).
4. Second page
If you have less than 5 years of work experience and your resume takes up more than one page, then this will definitely not add points to your piggy bank. Even if the summary and does not fit on one page, proper formatting can fix it.
5. A variety of fonts
Try to use one or two (as a last resort). If there are more, they will distract or even annoy HR-managers.
6. The phrase "Recommendations are available on request"
In the worst case, you will look too arrogant, at best - you could use this space to describe your skills and experience in more detail.
7. Enumeration of skills instead of experience
In most cases, it is recommended to adhere to the inverse chronology format (i.e., when your most recent experience is described at the very beginning). However, if you think that your recent experience should not be emphasized (perhaps it is not so relevant) or, say, you have to return to work after a long break, it is better to start your resume from the “Executive Summary” section . In this section you will be able to highlight your best skills and achievements that are relevant to the position you are applying for. But then you still need to paint your experience.
Personal data
8. Your address
Think who is interested in it at all? If you apply for a position, you understand where you will have to go (walk / fly) if you receive a position and automatically agree with this.
9. Your work e-mail
Do you really want your future employer to know that you are using your work time and the computer of the company you are working at to find a job?
10. Your “creative” e-mail
If you use the same email address for 10 years, and you created it as a child, it is possible that the address will be similar to: princess12 @ ... com or mrhalk13 @ ... ru. If this is so, it is urgent to have a new box, otherwise a potential employer may misunderstand you.
11. Your specific hobbies
If you are fond of playing squash or doing semi-professional photography, you can leave it on your resume (and only if you are applying for a starting position and you do not have enough experience to fill out a resume). However, if you are fond of sewing dolls from old clothes or collecting airplanes from matches (and that happens), then by no means write about it, as some of these hobbies may seem too silly.
12. Your date of birth, marital status and religion
We live in the 21st century, the century of tolerance and equality. Any self-respecting employer will not ask you about these three factors (at least until the first meeting), so why write about this in the resume?
Experience and education
13. The nature of the tasks you performed
In most cases, recruiters are not interested in what you did every day (say, answered phone calls and emails), they are only interested in the result (for example, that you have exceeded the sales plan by 72%).
14. Irrelevant experience
If you have no experience at all and there is absolutely nothing to fill out a resume, then you should not indicate that you have been working at McDonalds for 6 months (and what happens).
15. Unpaid internship
Who cares whether your internship was paid or not? If you got a great experience - point it out, and be done with it.
16. Everything related to school
If you are not a freshman / sophomore, it does not make sense to list your school achievements in a resume. Better try to figure out how to make your student experience (organizing and participating in various events, etc.) more attractive.
17. Skills that are owned (or at least should be owned) by all
For example, the ability to work in MS Word or the skills to find information on the Internet.
Definite words
18. Unused words
Why write “recycled” when you can write “used”, especially if you consider that the second is more accurate and simpler? Go over the text of the summary and ask yourself the question: “Do I use all these phrases in ordinary life?” If the answer is no, replace these words with simpler and more accessible words. Important: this clause is not applicable to professional terminology.
19. Professional slang
Despite the fact that professional terminology can be used and sometimes even necessary, slang should not be used. Make sure that everything in the resume is clear to the HR manager, otherwise the likelihood that your resume will not go beyond him will increase significantly.
20. Words that have a negative connotation
Including cases when you use them as positive (for example: "I solved these problems and corrected errors by ..."). Studies show that words such as “problem”, “error”, “failure” in the text of your resume may adversely affect how the recruiter perceives it.
21. Any words and phrases from the following list that annoy almost all recruiters (and not only). The list begins with “Best of the Kind” and continues like this:
22. Initiative.
23. Thinking out of the box
24. Able to work closely
25. A person you can rely on
26. Leader
27. Beneficiary
28. Result oriented
29. Team player
30. Pragmatic
31. Hardworking
32. Strategist
33. Dynamic
34. Motivated
35. Diligent
36. Proactive
And something else:
37. Typos
Do not rely on just one automatic grammar checker in MS Word. Ask friends or acquaintances to take a look at your resume (and perhaps give advice on how to correct it).
38. Not true
With some exceptions do not speak untruths. Any false skills that you indicate in your resume can be checked either during the interview or in the first two weeks of your trial period. Sometimes the desire to learn means more to the employer than experience.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/290668/
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