Essential Things to Cut from Your Resume for a Stronger Job Application

Your resume is the first impression that you make on potential employers. It's the key to getting your foot in the door and landing an interview. However, sometimes less is more. Including too much information on your resume can actually hurt your chances of getting the job and these are often things that are not included when hiring managers use an applicant tracking system (ats) for the resumes they receive. According to a survey by CareerBuilder, 51% of employers and hiring managers reported that they would automatically dismiss a resume if it had typos, while 43% said they would reject a resume that included irrelevant information. This highlights the importance of presenting a clean, focused resume that showcases your relevant skills and experiences while cutting out anything that may distract or detract from your candidacy. Here are some of the essential things you should cut from your resume for a stronger job application. 

Objective statement

The objective statement used to be a standard part of resumes, but it has fallen out of favor in recent years. This is because employers want to know what you can do for their company, not what you want to get out of the job. In addition, objective statements are often vague and generic, which doesn't help to differentiate you from other candidates or show your work ethic. 

Instead of an objective statement, use a summary statement to highlight your skills, experience, and accomplishments when writing a resume. Your summary should be a brief overview of your qualifications, including your professional experience, relevant skills, and education. It should be tailored to the job description you're applying for and highlight the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position.

Here's an example of a well-crafted summary statement:

"Results-driven marketing professional with 5+ years of experience in developing and implementing successful marketing campaigns. Skilled in market research, campaign planning, and digital marketing. Strong communication, organizational, and project management skills. Adept at managing cross-functional teams and collaborating with stakeholders to achieve business objectives."

As you can see, this summary statement is tailored to a marketing professional and highlights the candidate's relevant skills and experience. It also communicates the candidate's value proposition, shows they have both technical skills and interpersonal skills and positions them as a strong candidate for the job.

Irrelevant work experience

Listing irrelevant work experience on your resume can be detrimental to your job application. A Technical Recruiter at Fuel Talent, Jackson Wollan stated “It is important to keep the information on the resume relevant to what type of job you are looking for. You don't want jobs or experience listed on your resume that isn't pertinent to the opportunity that you are going for.” It can clutter your resume, making it harder for potential employers to find the most relevant information, and may even work against you by suggesting that you lack focus or direction in your career.

While it's important to include all of your work experience on your resume, you should focus on highlighting the experiences that are most relevant to the job you're applying for. This means that you should tailor your resume to the specific job you're applying for, highlighting the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position.

When listing your work experience, focus on the most recent and relevant positions. If you have a lot of work experience, you don't need to list every job you've ever had. Instead, focus on the most recent 10-15 years of your career and highlight the experiences that are most relevant to the position you're applying for. If an internship is relevant, include this as well, but if it's a position that is unrelated to the current job title, then exclude this as well.

If you have gaps in your work history, don't try to hide them. Instead, explain them in a positive way. For example, if you took time off to care for a family member, you can mention that in your resume and highlight the transferable skills you gained during that time.

References

It's not necessary to include references on your resume. Employers will ask for references if they are interested in hiring you. Including them on your resume takes up valuable space and is unnecessary.

Employers or hiring managers usually ask for references at a later stage in the hiring process, typically after conducting an initial interview or when they are seriously considering you for the job. Therefore, it's not necessary to include this information on your resume. Instead, have a separate list of references ready to provide when asked. 

High school education

Once you have a college degree, your high school education is no longer relevant. Unless you have recently graduated from high school, leave it off your resume. If you're a recent college graduate and don't have a lot of work experience, you may want to include your high school education in this section of your resume. However, once you have more experience, you can remove it.

Long paragraphs

Employers typically only spend a few seconds looking at each resume. Long paragraphs of text can be overwhelming and difficult to read. Use bullet points and concise sentences to make your resume easy to scan for a recruiter or hiring manager. You should also use white space in the format to break up your resume and make it easier on the eyes. Dorian Smith, Fuel’s Director, Marketing & Product Practice, shared another tip, stating“Including metrics on your resume is an effective way to share your career achievements. Hiring managers love to see results, so providing them with easy-to-read metrics of your accomplishments will help you stand out from the crowd.” Remember, the goal is to make your resume as easy to read as possible.

Unprofessional email addresses

Your email address should be professional and include your name. Avoid using email addresses that are inappropriate or unprofessional. Your email address should be something like "johnsmith@gmail.com". This shows that you're professional and serious about your job search.

Your resume is your ticket to getting the job you want. However, it's important to remember that less is often more. Including too much information on your resume can be overwhelming and make it difficult for employers to see your qualifications. By cutting out irrelevant information and using a summary statement, you can create a strong, effective resume that highlights your skills and experience. Remember, the goal is to make your resume as easy to read as possible. Use bullet points, concise sentences, and white space to break up your resume and make it easy on the eyes. Finally, ensure that your email address is professional and appropriate for a job search. By following these tips, you'll create a resume that will help you stand out from the competition and get the job you want.