Having recruited for a few years now, no matter where I am recruiting –
Cayman Islands, Boston or the UK, many candidates around the world have trouble
formulating an effective resume. Therefore, to do my bit – I would like to
share my top ten tips of what not to put on your resume. Here goes…
Cover letters are not always necessary, especially if you are sending your
resume to a recruiter.
Think about it, all day every day recruiters are sifting through hundreds
of resumes. The last thing you want to do is write a four paragraph cover
letter that features lengthy, fluffy sentences like “Dear sir/Madam, I would
like to apply for X position within your organization as I am a hard-working,
trustworthy, dedicated and punctual person.” If you do want to send across a
cover letter make it direct, concise and catch the readers attention.
Steer clear of crazy fonts
The biggest turn off for any employer is a resume that has Comic Sans,
Times New Roman and Brush Script MT all over it. Keep the fonts consistent. Use
black colour only. Remember this is a potential employer and you want to come
across as professional as possible.
No crazy objective
Sure, everyone wants to be Bill Gates and you might even have the entrepreneurial
skills to do it. Just please do not put
this in your objective. This seals the deal for the rest of your resume not being read. Personally, I
do not think objectives are necessary but if you are set on having one – make it
relevant. No fluff. “Exercise proven knowledge of Anti Money Laundering
regulations within a global financial services organization in an offshore
jurisdiction.”
Keep it Impersonal
One of my biggest pet hates is a resume that states “I efficiently managed
the branch”, “I promoted products” This is not professional. Try “Efficiently
managed the branch” and “Promoted products.”
Avoid featuring irrelevant job experience
If you are applying for a Legal Secretary position, why would you provide
half a page of information on your first two jobs out of school where you were
a retails assistant at Asda? Tailor it to suit your audience. Unless your
previous job experience has anything to the position you are applying for, the
potential employer is not interested. Keep it relevant.
Physical characteristics
Hiring managers do not care if you are 5”11 or 4”8. Unless you are
applying to a model agency, leave it off.
Strange Hobbies
It is no problem to feature one or two hobbies but avoid listing things
such as “knitting sweaters for my 12 cats”. If absolutely necessary, stick to
reading, writing, travelling.
Private matters
Sexual orientation, marital status, religious and political affiliations
should never feature on a resume. Leave them out. These are often controversial
and you want to be judged on your professional experience instead.
Bad grammar and bad spelling
Goes without saying, but seriously – get some to proof-read it. This is an
instant fail. What kind of first impression does it give?
Unprofessional contact information
If your email address is hotbabe@hotmail.com
do not include this on your resume. Email accounts are free so I would advise
getting a new more professional one.
