It’s easy to apply en masse for open positions online, but if you don’t have a strong resume, you’re not making the most of your efforts.
One specific detail is cause for immediate rejection, says Stacie Haller, senior career coach at Resume Builder.
“If I see a photo, that’s going to go in the no pile,” says Haller, who has more than 30 years of recruiting and staffing experience.
Including a headshot on a resume invites ageism and snap judgments based on appearance, she says, and indicates that “that person is out of touch with the way we do things today.”
Recruiters are critical of anything that seems dated, Haller says, and some details could add bias to the hiring process. Here are some other details you should remove from your resume, according to Haller:
- An objective: Including an objective on a resume is a waste of space when recruiters scan the document for about six seconds or less, Haller says. The objective of your resume should be clear (to offer your qualifications for a certain job), so you can save this point for a cover letter.
- A street address: Haller says that including your home address and zip code could lead to discrimination if there are socioeconomic differences by neighborhood. Also, if you don’t live where the company is located, a hiring manager might deprioritize you as a candidate knowing you’d need to relocate. Instead, simply include your city and state. And if you’re open to remote work, you can list that in your location, Haller adds.
- An AOL email address: It’s been years since AOL’s email domain fell out of favor, so using it can make you look like you’re not up to date with technology. Instead, opt for a free Gmail account, Haller recommends.
Another tip for your resume: the simpler, the better.
Don’t add creativity if it comes at the cost of readability, says Haller. Keep your text in one column with clear sections and short bullet points, which is best for both human readers and teams that take advantage of AI readers.
Recent graduates with no professional experience in their field can lead with their education section at the top.
Once you’ve worked a year or two in the field, put your professional experience section first, listed in reverse chronological order of your jobs. Each section should then list points of your accomplishments and tasks based on what is most relevant to the job you are applying for.
Maintain a separate skills section to list all the technical skills and certifications you have under your belt; Again, it may be worth sorting them based on what is most critical in the new role you are filling.
Stick to a one-page resume if you’re just starting your career and in your 20s, Haller says, adding that one or two pages will work for most people throughout their career.
Tenured workers with more than 20 years of experience can probably limit themselves to listing highlights of their work from the past decade, Haller says. “No one is hiring someone for what they did 20 years ago. It could be part of their history and still be there without dates, and for CEOs that could be important,” but in general, you can edit out some of those selections.
Meanwhile, senior leaders could extend their resumes to three or four pages.
Finally, recruiting experts often recommend tailoring your resume to each position you’re applying for. Haller agrees, but with one caveat: “Everyone should have a good, compelling basic resume that they use 90% of the time,” she says. For the remaining 10%, you can rearrange the points below your experience to match the needs of the position you are applying for.
It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes, Haller says.
Every job seeker should have “a compelling personal template that you should modify,” he says, “but it shouldn’t require much adjustment.”
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