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SOME THINGS ARE BETTER LEFT OUT OF A RESUME

by Tina Fisher

Webster's dictionary defines a resume as the following: 1. Summary. 2. an account of one's education, employment, etc., submitted to a potential employer.

Let's face it. Webster is the master of clear, concise, communication. I submit, if he were to elaborate, he would add that a resume is also a personal marketing tool or an advertisement of one's skills, experiences, academic preparation, and accomplishments. The true power of your resume rests in the written and aesthetic presentation of your unique story and the information you chose to include and/or exclude.

Things that shouldn't be found on your resume:

  1. Typographical or grammatical errors. Proofread. Proofread. Proofread.
  2. Salary history or requirements. This is a topic to discuss after you have had an opportunity to share your value with a hiring authority.
  3. Age / Marital Status / Race. All of these are inappropriate and are likely to make a human resource professional uncomfortable. There are strict governing laws prohibiting hiring authorities from asking for this information.
  4. Reason for leaving previous jobs. Do not go there.
  5. Gimmicky formatting layouts. Statistics indicate that hiring authorities invest approximately 15 seconds in the first pass of a resume before placing it in a "yes" or "not" pile. According to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, 75 percent of HR professionals say they prefer to receive resumes that present information in reverse chronological order. In other words, make it easy for the reader to get excited about your candidacy.
  6. Fluorescent paper color. Conservative ivory or white papers allow your story, rather that the paper color, to clearly separate you from the competition. These colors are also decidedly more practical for faxing and for the human resource professional to copy for forwarding to other decision makers.
  7. I's and MY's: It is understood that the information reflected on your resume belongs to you. "I" and "My" should be minimal in your package.

A power resume will sell you to a potential employer. Seize the opportunity to separate yourself from a competitor who only read Webster's definition.

Fisher, owner of CareerComm (formerly eXclusively Resumes), is a Certified Professional Resume Writer in North Royalton.
This article was first published in The Plain Dealer.