When you’re trying to secure a job, your resume needs to work for you, not against you. While it’s important to highlight your qualifications, what you choose not to include is equally crucial.
A cluttered resume can be a turn-off for recruiters, so it’s important to avoid certain common mistakes. Here are 13 things you should leave off your resume to make it as compelling as possible.
1. Personal Information Beyond Basics
In the past, resumes often included extensive personal details, but this is no longer necessary and can even hurt your application. Basic contact information such as your name, phone number, email, and city of residence is enough.
You do not need to include:
- Full address: Your specific home address is unnecessary. City and state (or country) are sufficient.
- Social Security Number: There’s no need to share these details. In fact, doing so could open you up to identity theft.
- Date of birth: It is irrelevant and could even lead to age discrimination.
- Gender, race, or marital status: In most countries, it is illegal for employers to make hiring decisions based on personal information, so leave this off your resume.
2. Hobbies and Interests (Unless Relevant)
While you might be passionate about hiking, painting, or collecting vintage records, unless your hobbies are directly relevant to the position you’re applying for, they don’t belong on your resume.
For example, if you’re applying for a job in digital marketing, listing your photography skills might be relevant because of its potential creative connection. However, mentioning your love for gardening likely isn’t.
3. Too Many Soft Skills
Soft skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving are important, but listing too many of them on your resume can seem generic and unconvincing. It’s easy to say you’re a “hard worker” or “great communicator,” but what employers really want to see are examples of those skills in action.
Instead of simply listing many soft skills, demonstrate them through your achievements. For example, if you want to show you’re a team player, mention a project where you successfully collaborated with a team to achieve a particular goal. Actionable evidence always carries more weight than broad statements.
4. Salary Expectations
There’s no need to include your desired salary on a resume. Salary discussions are typically handled later in the hiring process, usually during interviews or negotiations. Including this information too early can limit your potential or even disqualify you from consideration if the employer has a specific budget in mind that doesn’t align with your expectations.
Save the salary talk for when it’s requested or when you’ve received an offer. Let the employer see your value before diving into compensation discussions.
5. Unprofessional Email Address
Your email address is one of the first things a recruiter will see when they glance at your resume. If you’re still using an email address you created in high school, like “partylover123@example.com,” it’s time for an upgrade. An unprofessional email address can send the wrong message and make you seem less serious about your job search.
Create a professional email address using your first and last name, or a variation thereof, to present yourself in the best light. It’s a small detail, but one that can make a big difference.
6. Outdated or Inappropriate References
Including references on your resume used to be standard practice, but it’s no longer necessary. Most employers will ask for references later in the hiring process if they need them. Including them upfront takes up space you could use for more important information, like skills and accomplishments.
7. Excessive Formatting and Graphics
While it might be tempting to make your resume stand out with fancy fonts, graphics, or colors, this can backfire. Hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS), which many companies use to screen resumes, prefer simple, clean formatting. Overly designed resumes can be hard to read and may not be processed correctly by ATS software.
Stick to a clean, professional layout with a standard font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Avoid excessive bolding, underlining, or using multiple colors. Focus on the content and let your experience speak for itself.
8. Personal Pronouns (I, Me, My)
Your resume should avoid the use of personal pronouns like “I” or “my.” It’s understood that the resume is about you, so using these pronouns is redundant and can make your resume sound less professional. Instead of writing, “I managed a team of 10,” simply write, “Managed a team of 10.” This creates a more concise and formal tone.
9. Negative Language or Reasons for Leaving Previous Jobs
You should never speak negatively about previous employers or coworkers on your resume (or in interviews). Similarly, there’s no need to include reasons why you left a previous job. Whether it was due to a layoff, a bad work environment, or a desire for a career change, this information is irrelevant on a resume.
Focus on highlighting your skills and accomplishments rather than dwelling on past negatives. Employers are more interested in what you can bring to their company than what went wrong at your last job.
10. Photographs (Unless Requested)
In most industries and countries, including a photograph on your resume is not standard practice. In fact, it’s discouraged in some places due to concerns about discrimination. Unless you’re applying for a job where your appearance is directly relevant, such as in modeling or acting, there’s no need to include a photo.
If a job listing specifically requests a photo, ensure it is professional and appropriate for the position. Otherwise, it’s best to leave it off.
11. High School Information (If You’re a College Graduate)
Once you’ve graduated from college or have gained significant work experience, there’s no need to include information about your high school education. Employers are more interested in your recent qualifications and experience.
Unless you are fresh out of high school and applying for entry-level jobs, leave your high school details off your resume.
12. Jargon or Buzzwords Without Context
Including industry-specific jargon or overused buzzwords like “synergize,” “go-getter,” or “results-driven” without providing context can come across as hollow. While it’s important to show you understand the terminology of your field, make sure you are demonstrating it through clear achievements and outcomes.
For example, instead of saying you’re “results-driven,” you could write, “Increased sales by 30% over 6 months by implementing a new customer outreach strategy.” Concrete examples speak louder than buzzwords.
13. Typos and Grammatical Errors
This may seem obvious, but even a small typo or grammatical error can send the wrong signal to employers. It suggests a lack of attention to detail or carelessness, which are qualities no employer wants. Always proofread your resume carefully or have a professional review it to catch any mistakes you might have missed.
Remember, the goal of a resume is to quickly communicate your value to potential employers. Keep it simple and impactful for the best chance of landing an interview.
Struggling with resume clutter? Let me help you streamline your career documents for success. Connect with me on LinkedIn to learn more.
