Your resume is the first introduction, and impression, you have to a potential employer. You want to make it a dazzling and impressive one, but it’s possible to go too far when it comes to detailing your work experience.
You want your resume to tell the highlights of your career, pointing out your successes and achievements while leaving enough room for curiosity to earn a phone call for an in-person interview.
It can be a fine line between too much and not enough, but here are some guiding principles for what NOT to include on your resume:
1. Long paragraphs loaded with bullet points
Your resume should be easy to read and concise. Call out the most important details for each position and save the more narrative text for your cover letter or the interview.
2. Experiences that don’t match the position
Your potential employer won’t be impressed with work examples or skills that have no bearing on the job for which you’re applying. If it doesn’t match, leave it out.
3. Details of your personal life outside work
It’s great to have hobbies and interests, it’s great to volunteer, and it’s wonderful to share these anecdotes with your employer or coworkers after you’ve secured the job. Your resume is not the place for this information.
4. Inconsistent information
This might not seem like a big deal, but if your work history isn’t formatted and presented in the same way for each employer, your resume will lose its “flow” and could become distracting more than attractive.
5. Typos, grammatical mistakes, and other errors
Take a minute to read over your resume carefully before sending it. Then walk away for 10 minutes and reread it. Then ask someone you trust to read it one more time. Misspellings and other errors that could be found with excellent proofreading will move your resume from the “to be considered” pile to the “thanks but no thanks” pile.
Looking for a new job? Contact Debbie’s Staffing
When you’re ready to look for a new job, contact Debbie’s Staffing. We’re standing by to help you not only find a job that will be a great fit for your interests and experience, but we can help make sure your resume is in tip-top shape to help impress that new employer. We’ve also got access to companies looking for workers just like you and can help you find a new position! Give us a call today.