5 MORE Things to Unclutter Your Resume
Due to the popularity of last months 5 Things to Unclutter Your Resume blog post, today we will be coving 5 additional steps you can take to unclutter your resume. Remember – this is not about deleting valuable content and relevant accomplishments; this is about streamlining the narrative of your resume to communicate value to the potential employer in a clear and concise manner.
1. Death by bullets
Have you been told by recruiters that they want your resume to consist of only bulleted statements? And have you read a two-page job ad that consists of only bullets? Do you get my point? Reading a résumé like this is mind-numbing. It is hard to differentiate the duties from the accomplishments.
A well-formatted résumé will have a three-to-four line summary of functional responsibilities in paragraph format that shows value and promise of what you will deliver to the employer. Following that opening section, you should have your bullets highlighting accomplishments, special projects, awards, and other contributions to your employer.
2. Killer paragraphs
The opposite of death by bullets is death by paragraphs. Some job seekers don’t understand that paragraphs—especially exceedingly long paragraphs—are difficult to read. Many hiring authorities will take one look at a paragraph laden résumé and file it in the circular filing cabinet.
A strong rule to follow is that a Summary in paragraph format should not exceed three-four lines. Similarly, a Job Scope or summary of a position should be brief.
3. Any positions beyond 15 years
Experts will agree that listing history beyond 10-15 years is a deal-breaker. There are two primary reasons for this:
First, what you did before 15 years is probably irrelevant to what employers are looking for today. Think of the software, hardware, procedures, licenses, and methods you used in those positions. They are probably considered ancient today.
Second is ageism. Unfortunately there are still companies that discriminate against age. Hiring authorities can roughly estimate your age based on the years you have been in the workforce. Why rule yourself out of consideration immediately. Once you get to an interview, you can sell yourself based on the value older workers bring to employers.
9. Years you attended university
This is another way to date yourself and face possible discrimination. Hiring authorities don’t expect to see it on your resume. The only exception would be if you graduated from university within the past four years.
10. References
I’ve seen a handful of resumes that included references. The reason why job seekers list their references is to include them in one document. By listing your references on your résumé, you 1) give employers authority to call them before an interview even begins, which might hurt you if your references say something negative; and 2) it lengthens your résumé. 5 MORE Things to Unclutter Your Resume
So there your have it, 5 more ways to declutter your resume. Comment below if you have any questions.