As a job seeker, you have read many articles on things to add to your resume to make your CV stand out. But, you should know that there is certain information that you need to leave off your resume. What are they? Read on to know the 11 things to leave off your resume.
1. Objectives
Writing an objective on your resume is not good enough. It is just sentences that do not convince the employer to employ you. Employers do not care whether you are looking for a challenging position or not. They want to know who you are and how you can add value to their company. Hence, an objective is one of the things you should leave off your resume. So instead of the “looking for a challenging position for my experience” objective, why not write a summary? A summary is just like giving a brief description of who you are and what you are ready to offer the company.
2. Hobbies/interests
Many job seekers add irrelevant hobbies or interests to their resumes. I think this is one thing we should have left behind. If your hobby or interest is not relevant to the job you are applying for, you should not add it. This is because if the person screening your resume sees a hobby that does not resonate with them, they might drop you. Instead, add an interest that does not only promote your personal brand but also adds value to the company.
3. Use of third-person voice.
I don’t know how the use of third-person voice sounds to you. But to me, it sounds like an old man writing their biography. So, you should avoid the use of third-person voices. Instead, use the first-person voice and avoid using too many pronouns. Always put your name and contact details on top of your CV. By doing this, the person reading your resume will know that you are talking about yourself.
4. Unprofessional email
Whenever you are writing anything related to your job search, please stick to being professional. This also applies to the email address you are using. An unprofessional email address is one of the things you should leave off your resume. An employer might be turned off by seeing doratheexplora as your email address instead of Dorathy Beckley. Hence, to ensure your resume does not end up in the trash, leave that off your CV.
5. Your headshot
I have recently come across some resume templates with space for a headshot. If you are not applying to be an actor or model, your headshot should not be on your resume. Nobody cares what you look like as long as you can get the job done. And one of the essences of the interview is to see the face behind the CV. So, ensure you leave your headshot off your resume.
6. A list of duties
When job seekers are writing the work experience part of their resume, they write down a list of duties (I was once guilty of this). At the end of the day, the employer might not know the value you can add to their company. But, instead of writing a list of duties, write down your accomplishments. For instance, for job experience as a social media manager, the list of duties will be;
- Research and write captions.
- Design post with Canva.
- Post on the company’s Facebook and Instagram accounts daily.
- Reply to comments and inquiries.
The above is just a list of what you did, not the value the company got from you. Instead of that, write,
- Boost the company’s social media followers by 1000%.
- Improve sales by 200% through engaging posts.
With these accomplishments, you have hooked the employer. And they will want to see how you can help them achieve this.
7. Religious/political affiliation
Unless stated in the job description, your religious or political affiliation is one of the things to leave off your resume. In fact, I don’t think any job requires you to add any of these to your CV.
8. Reasons for leaving your last job
This is one of the vital things to leave off your resume. Adding the reason why you left your last job to your resume can make it seem as if you are making excuses. Therefore, avoid it. If they want to know why you left your last job, they will ask you during the interview. Here is how to answer the “why you left your last job” question in an interview.
9. Unnecessary big words
I don’t know what job seekers that use big words in their resumes are trying to achieve. Perhaps you want to show the company that you can speak big grammar. But, unnecessary big words are one of the things you should leave off your resume. Simple words like “use” instead of “utilize,” “similar instead of “analogous” make life easier for both you and the person screening your resume. You might think you want to impress them with big words, but trust me, it is better to go the simple way. Whenever big words come to your head while writing your resume, ask yourself whether you can say these words while talking. If not, then change it to a simple one.
10. Job experience from 10-15 years ago.
We know you have been in the career world since 1998. But that does not mean you should add all your experience over the years. Thus, job experience of over 10 or 15 years is one of the things you should leave off your resume. The only exception to this is if that experience is related to the job you are applying for. But if it is an entry-level job, volunteer, or internship, it is best to leave it off your resume. This is one of the reasons why you should tailor your resume to each job to avoid irrelevant information.
11. Lies and exaggeration.
Once some job seekers see that they do not meet the requirements of a job, they begin to lie. And the interesting thing about lies is that they end up catching up with you. So, lies and exaggeration are one of the things to leave off your resume. Don’t have the job’s minimum requirement? Then do not apply. Instead of lying, look for a job where you can meet the qualifications.
Final Thoughts:
If you are looking to land your dream job, you should make a good first impression with your resume. Hence, try to leave irrelevant things off your resume.
