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Writer's pictureSAMUEL CHIBUNNA
Jun 16, 20204 min read

What Employers Do Not Want to See on Your Resume

When applying for a job, it is important that your resume stands out from the rest of the applicants for that job opening. Every hiring manager has a range of techniques to help them see the best applicants, some being able to spot them with just one glance at their resume. Others may wish to look for the best resume extractor, to aid them in the hiring process, and there is a wide range of available software out there to do just that. 

As a recruiter specialised in hiring the right freelancer for my clients, I always made it a point to go through every resume sent to me. However, it can be very frustrating to hunt down the key info I need in a junk of oversharing information. It is almost like finding a needle in the haystack. If I am not careful or I happened to be tired that day, I may have missed out the one thing that I am looking from your resume.

How can you get their attention with your resume? Are there points that you shouldn’t include?

To help you get the attention of your recruiter, here are some of the things you shouldn’t include in your resume:

Your life history

Some people believe that presenting a comprehensive and detailed resume is best. With a comprehensive resume, recruiters have everything they need to know about your profile. However, recruiters do not want to see your full life history in your resume, especially if it is not related to the job you are trying to apply for.

Things to take out from your resume:

  1. Internship (especially it is more than 3 years ago)

  2. Part-time work that are not related to the position you are applying for (no, selling ice-cream will not impress me if you are applying for a sales manager position.)

  3. Really old historical jobs (if the job experience is 20 years ago, please take it out unless you’ve been in the company for 20 years.)

2. Your photo

Although photos used to be a major requirement in resumes, nowadays it is no longer required to prevent gender bias in hiring. They will definitely see your photo when they see your LinkedIn page or your social media page.

3. Unclear objective statement

As an applicant, you have to show to your recruiter what you hope to gain if you get in the job. Some people tend to write objective statements that don’t focus on the job they are trying to apply for.

For example: My objective is to secure a challenging career in the retail industry so I can perfect my marketing and sales skills learnt in my course of studies. Position applied: Accountant assistant or Teacher or Babysitter

Always write a different objective whenever you apply for a job and it must reflect the job you are trying to apply for.

Yes, that means you need to tailor your resume for each and every job you applied for. It shows sincerity.

4. Irrelevant personal data

Some people may have done a lot of extracurricular activities that they may want to include in their resume like community service. Others may even include their marital status on it even if it is not required.

Your hiring manager doesn’t need to know about them because they don’t need to know about it. It is actually not allowed for hiring managers to ask about personal details.

Unless personal details will help to elevate your case, for example, your volunteer work in the animal pound will be an added advantage to work in a veterinary clinic. Because it show your compassion and patience towards animals.

5. Unexplained gaps in the resume

There will be cases when there will be gaps in your resume because of layoffs or if you went freelancing.

While it is ok to have gaps caused by employment changes, it is a different manner if you can’t explain the reason for these gaps.

You can include freelance jobs or courses if they will assist you in the job if they are the reason for these gaps.

6. Grammatical errors

Your resume must definitely be clear from any grammatical errors because your resume will display how well you write and how you organize details.

If there is a typo somewhere in the resume, it can be used against your application. You should always make it a point to proofread your resume before sending it to a hiring manager.

I usually use Grammarly to vet my work before handing in. Its not 100% typo proof (no robots is better than a human’s eye) but it is good enough to catch major mistakes.

Conclusion

A resume serves as a marketing advertisement to promote yourself to hiring managers and recruiters who can help you land your dream job. If it is filled with details that are not related to the job, it may cause some problems for you in the long run. Always prepare a different resume for every job you apply for and make sure it is filled with the right information to support your case.

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