5 Things You Should Remove from Your Resume

Hiring managers are busy people. Job seekers need to stand out to attract attention. One way a job seeker can stand out is by making sure their resume contains exactly what is necessary for the interview and nothing more. With that in mind, here are five things to remove from your resume to make it as streamlined as possible.

1: “References Available Upon Request”

You don’t need references on your resume. You should carry a second document specifically for references. After all, if you’re going to tell the manager your references are available, you should have them available. Why do you want to prune this line, then?

They already know. It’s assumed that you have references and that they are available when the hiring manager asks for them. You don’t need to waste half a page on your resume with references and their contact information, nor do you need to waste a valuable line telling the manager what they already know.

2: The Obvious

Think about the kind of job you’re applying for. Is it a job in a hospital? Will you be working with computers? If so, your manager already assumes you can type. If you can’t, why would you be applying for that kind of job? You don’t need to include basic information like the ability to type, the ability to use a calculator or proficiency with e-mail in your resume if the job requirements assume that you have these basic skills.

When you tailor your resume for the job you’re applying to, prune out any information that would be considered essential or assumed for the job. The exception is if they specifically ask for those skills, in which case it’s a good idea to let them know you have them.

3: Personal Information

If your resume includes your age, gender, race, ethnicity, number of children, marital status, religion or any other personal information, scrap it and start over. Absolutely none of this information is relevant for a job application. In fact, in many cases it is actually illegal for the interviewer to ask for this information because it could be used in a discriminatory way.

Avoid the issue of discrimination by never including these details. You have more space for relevant information if you cut it all out.

4: Objective Statements

In the old days, every resume began with an objective statement. This was back when you simply applied to a company and they looked at what you wanted and tried to find a place for you. Does that sound like the modern hiring process?

Today, when you apply for a job, you know what that job is. The hiring manager knows this too, and so they know what you’re looking for in a job. They want to know what makes you a good fit for the job, not what makes the job a good fit for you.

5: Excess Contact Information

Does your resume have two phone numbers, three e-mail addresses, an instant messenger handle, a Skype ID and two mailing addresses? If so, you have far too much information. All you need is your name, address, a single phone number and one e-mail address.

Excess contact information gives the hiring manager a moment of indecision. It’s also useless. If they send you an e-mail or give you a call and you don’t respond, the second option they try is going to be a second applicant, not a second phone number. You can’t afford to be passed over so easily.

With these five items gone, your resume is free to rise above the average. If you can impress your interviewer with the concise quality of your resume, you can get a good head start on the interview.

Photo by thinkpanama on Flickr

Dunya Carter is a marketing specialist from Brisbane, Australia. Dunya works for Ochre Recruitment, a leading Australian healthcare recruitment agency focusing on hospital jobs. She writes articles on recruitment and job search for several great websites and blogs.