This resume tip comes to us from Igor Khayet, founder of My Resume Shop.
As a professional resume writer, one of the most common questions I get asked is how to shorten a resume to one page without losing critical information. The first tip of this series explained how to decrease the number of sections on your resume, the second tip provided advice on reducing the quantity of bullets and the third tip explained how to cut excess language.
Check out this week’s tip below, and be sure to stay tuned for the next pointer!
Tip #4: Remove Unneeded Information
The resume is as much about what you don’t put on it as it is about what you do put on it. Remember that a concise resume is particularly powerful because of its focus and relevance to a specific set of skills and experiences needed for a position. Unneeded information is anything on the resume that is not required (by the employer or graduate school program), nor particularly relevant for the job at hand. Here is a short list of unneeded information:
- Objective Statements: Objective statements -- usually a section at the top of a resume that summarizes your career goals -- are outdated, and their content should be included in cover letters instead. Ideally, the objective is evident throughout the resume because of a targeted choice of experiences.
- References: Unless specifically asked to include references, you should leave them off the resume, including the line “References Available Upon Request.” This is obvious that they are available, so there's no reason to waste space saying it.
- Political Affiliations/Experiences: The only exception to this rule is if you are applying to a political organization and want to show your involvement. Otherwise, discuss these experiences on a high level without mentioning political parties.
- Salary History: Not appropriate or relevant. (although some federal government agencies require this information).
- Reason for Leaving Past Employers: The resume is not a place to explain why you left a past employer. You can do this in the cover letter or in the interview.
- Personal Information: In some countries it is acceptable and even encouraged to include personal information such as marital status, DOB, etc. In the U.S. you should stick to the basics: Name, Address, Email, Phone. That’s it.
Igor Khayet is the President and Founder of My Resume Shop (www.myresumeshop.com). He is a former Admissions Interviewer for the Yale School of Management and a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches. Connect with him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/myresumeshop) and Twitter (twitter.com/myresumeshop).
