NOT GETTING HIRED? MAYBE IT'S YOUR RESUME

By Wendy Oliveras on Thursday, March 04 2010

NOT GETTING HIRED? MAYBE IT'S YOUR RESUME

There are many reasons why job seekers do not get called in for job interviews.  Have you ever wondered maybe it’s your resume?  Let’s consider what acceptable standard information you should put in your resume.  For example, contact information, summary of experience, current and past work experience, education, skills, languages, and professional memberships or affiliations.
 
However, there are very specific things which you should not put in your resume, since unwarranted information can ruin your chances of being interviewed, as well as potentially subject you to discrimination.  The following is a list of things you should not put in your resume.

Resume Don’ts

  • Do not have more than two pages
  • Do not use unusual or fancy fonts (best one to use is Times New Roman)
  • Do not put a photograph of yourself
  • Do not use a career objective
  • Do not use fancy clipart objects, shades, or boxes (bullets are good)
  • Do not put unusual or unfamiliar abbreviations (either spell it out or do not use)
  • Do not write why you want to leave your current
    employer or why you chose to leave your past employer(s)
  • Do not write personal information about yourself, such as age, marital status, religious beliefs, number of children, or other personal information
  • Do not write your social security number or date of birth
  • Do not list any information which is not relevant to the position or company you are applying to 
  • Do not list any jobs after 10-15 years
  • Do not write your date of high school graduation (this can reveal your age)
  • Do not list your current salary or your past salaries
  • Do not list your references
  • Lastly, when saving your resume document on the computer, do not title the document using a sexy name,
    pet name, or anything different than your legal name.  This is important to note because when you email your resume to a human resources manager at a targeted company, the title of your document will reflect
    something negative about you.  So, be mindful of this.
In going forward, your resume should only reflect your current and past experiences.  Although you can tailor your resume to a specific position, providing too much information may risk your opportunity to get an interview.  Best of luck!

Wendy Oliveras is an entrepreneur, columnist, author, search consultant, and career planning and development advisor.  She can be reached at either (201) 947-6662 or via email wo@oliverascoinc.com.  Please also visit her at http://www.twitter.com/wendyoliveras, http://www.linkedin/in/wendyoliveras, or http://www.oliverascoinc.com.

To view my previous articles, please visit http://www.examiner.com/x-22670-NY-Search-Consultant-Examiner. Thank you.

Tags: resume no-no's

Leave a Comment

-->