10 things to keep off of your resume if you want to win an interview

The first step in your new job search should be to create a killer resume that makes every employer want to meet you. You can include everything under the sun about your professional achievements on your resume to wow employers. But there are certain resume elements that make employers want to just throw your resume in the bin. Here are 10 things to keep off of your resume to get more interviews:

1. Your headshot

Are you one of the professionals who add a photograph to every resume you create? Then it is time to stop. Including a photo on your resume usually makes you vulnerable to discrimination based on looks. However, professionals applying for modeling, acting, and performing arts jobs must add a photo to their resumes.

2. High school glory stories

If you went to high school more than a year or two ago, it is time to remove your achievements which include being soccer captain or drama club president. Mentioning high school achievements on your resume can also get you subjected to age discrimination if you are an older worker.

3. I, Me, and My’s

Personal pronouns don’t belong on a resume. In fact, resumes that list personal pronouns are more likely to get rejected by hiring managers. Always write your resume in the third person.

4. Clichés

Have you used those overused resume phrases that add zero value to your professional worth? “Team player” and “hard worker” have no right to be on your resume if you haven’t backed those claims up with tangible results.

5. Personal information

Trust us, your hiring manager doesn’t need to know whether you are a Democrat or a Republican. They just want to know whether you are a good employee. So, keep your religious beliefs and political ideologies to yourself when creating your resume.

6. Too much contact information

When adding your contact details to your resume, stick to the basics. A potential employer doesn’t need to know anything beyond your phone number, email, city, and state. Including other personal information on your resume is likely to get you noticed by scammers.

7. Work experience that adds zero value

Your expertise in whipping up five Frappuccinos in half an hour will not wow an employer when you are applying for a data analyst position. Irrelevant work experience on your resume makes you seem unqualified to handle the weight of the role.

8. A dozen typos

It is human nature to make errors. But you are in big trouble with your job hunt if you keep sending in a resume with spelling and grammar mistakes. Take enough time to proofread your materials before sending them out.

9. Salary expectations

Just because you spent the last two days Googling the average salary range for the new position, it doesn’t mean that you should add this information to your resume. Leave salary negotiations until after your job interview and focus on getting your resume polished.

10. References

We always talk about how references just take up valuable resume space. If an employer wants to talk to three different people about your work ethic, they will call you to ask for references. Until that point, keep your references in a separate document from your resume.