7 Things You Should Remove From Your Resume ASAP

Recruiters take an average of 6 seconds to scan a resume, so you only have a short time to make a good impression. In this guide, you will learn those 7 Things You Should Remove From Your Resume ASAP.

HR manager rejects so many resumes for silly mistakes. Did you want to increase your chances of landing your dream job? Read this guide (7 Things You Should Remove From Your Resume) from start to the end.

7 Things You Should Remove From Your Resume ASAP

1. Don’t include “ATS” formatting violations.

When you apply for a job online and send in your resume, the resume is screened initially by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). An ATS compliant resume is a key factor when applying some new jobs.

A mistake job seekers often make is ignoring the rules of the applicant tracking system. If you want your resume to be ATS compliant, then avoid the following:

• fancy templates,
• borders,
• columns,
• tables,
• symbols,
• graphics,
• icons,
• text boxes,
• Photos,
• headers and footers.

When an ATS strips out the formatting of your resume, these features might cause errors and block relevant information.

Avoid font size less than eleven points. Readability is key. Some job seekers don’t realize that after the ATS, human eyes will have to read it.

Don’t make the font size too small that one needs a magnifying glass to read it. Stick to universal fonts like:

• New Roman,
• Ariel,
• Calibre

ATS Love simplicity. Here are some elements you can use:

• bold,
• capital letters,
• standard bullet points.

Submit online in Word Doc or PDF, as specified. Some algorithms are stricter than others, so if in doubt, leave it out. Additionally, one of the ways the ATS narrows an applicant pool is by searching for specific keywords.

Resumes must be tailored with relevant keywords. Depending on your industry, certain degrees and certifications might also be important keywords.

Important tip: Make sure you are using the same keywords and phrases from the job description.

In some cases, an ATS scanning for keywords will only recognize and count exactly matches. So if you write that you’re a CSR but the ATS is checking for customer service representative, it might drop your resume.

Or if you wrote that you’re a PowerPoint expert, but the ATS is searching for someone who has experience with PowerPoint, your resume might never reach the hiring manager.

2. Stay away from personal pronouns, E.g: I, me, my, we.

Don’t write your resume in the third or first person. The third person style distances you from your experiences.

On the other hand, personal pronouns are great and cover letters, but resumes are supposed to be about your professional background. Eliminating first person language will also allow you to cut out excess words.

For example:

Replace: I was promoted to manage a team of ten sales associates

With: Promoted to manage a team of ten sales associates.

Important tip: Begin each sentence with an action vibe.

3. Remove large blocks of text.

You want to optimize your resume to be easily read. Large blocks of text require more effort to read. You lose people quicker if you’re cramming too much information into one chunk. It’s better to break it up.

Use bullet points. A good rule of thumb is three to six bullet points per job. Stay consistent. For example, if you use five bullet points for one job, use the same amount for each job. You need to be able to sum it up in six or fewer if you want to keep the hiring managers attention.

You can also eliminate filler words such as, “A” and “THE” from your bullet points, allowing you to include relevant keywords onto each line. A resume is a unique file, so traditional grammar rules do not always apply.

For example:

Replace: Led the HR team in completing a study on the most effective hiring practices.

With: Lead HR team in completing study on the most effective hiring practices.

The easier a resume is to skim through, the more likely it is that the hiring manager will take a thorough look.

4. Irrelevant hobbies and Interests.

Everyone has a hobby, and most of us think putting that will help us stand out. Remember, HR are reviewing piles of resumes and they are focused on finding the right candidates.

Of course, it’s okay to include your hobby if it’s related to the position you’re applying for or you can use it to add value.

For example, saying mountain biking or fishing. That does not benefit the company.

Make sure whatever hobbies or interests you include adds value.

5. Your professional headshot.

Unless you are a professional model, please leave all the headshots. It opens you up to unconscious bias. These are all things that can potentially impact a hiring manager’s decision making, even if it’s done unintentionally.

No photos because applicant tracking systems can’t read them. Exception to this, there are some countries where it’s customary to include a photograph. In that case, you will have to comply.

6. Job positions older than 10 to 15 years.

How long should your resume be? It depends. Standard length is two pages, except freshers, recent grads, which can be one page. Executives, military, medical, legal, project management, should be two pages or more.

Write the resume for the reader, not yourself. It is simply about prioritizing which accomplishments to showcase. It’s not enough to simply rehash your work history. Aim for quality over quantity. Omit irrelevant jobs.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do all details align with the job?
• Are all examples and results relevant to the rule?

Remember to highlight accomplishments instead of listing duties. A big mistake many candidates make is by share more results, less tasks.

Hiring managers want to see clear-cut evidence of your problem-solving abilities and results.

Show them:

• How did you perform the job better than others?
• What were the results?
• How did the company benefit from your performance?
• Did you receive any awards, special recognitions or promotions as a result?

Remember to include quantitative results.

They are looking for examples of times you delivered value and wherever possible, with numbers to support them.

Include action verbs that take ownership as increased/decreased, improved, negotiated, created, achieved, coordinated, established, reduced, influence, resolve, accelerated, launch, pioneer.

For example:

Replace: Efficiently negotiated payment rates and discounts with loyal clientele with negotiated payment rate and discounts with loyal clientele.

With: Negotiated payment rates and discounts with loyal clientele, contributing to 95% plus customer retention.

7. Remove common and overused phrases.

HRs are tired of seeing these as many candidates lose it right at the beginning with their professional summary.

E.g, “Accomplished professional seeking career growth”, such statements are too general. Instead, “an accomplished social media manager that developed award winning campaigns for fortune 500 companies that contributed to 20% increase in revenue.

This is more specific and more importantly, focuses on the employer’s needs. Avoid overused terms such as result-oriented, proven track record, hard worker, problem-solver, effective communicator to describe yourself. They come off as empty industry buzzwords that do little to differentiate you from other applicants.

Remember, your resume is a hiring manager’s fullest introduction to you. Take your time with it, make sure it’s professional and gives the best view of who you are and what you bring to the table.

Spell check it, proofread it and then have somebody proofread it for you. Your resume is ultimately your passport to your next dream job, so make it count.

There’s 7 Things You Should Remove From Your Resume ASAP. Keep preparing and practicing, someday your chance will come.