What To Leave Off Your Resume

There are certain aspects of a candidate's resume that can have the opposite effect than intended. Seemingly helpful information that is found in a "typical resume" can have a negative effect on certain job candidates, sending their resume straight to the trash. Here are a few examples of information you may want to leave out of your resume and why:

Job history dates before 1990. Though it doesn't seem like that long ago, listing dates prior to the 90s not only holds little relevance, but communicates your age. This can leave you subject to ageism - or getting tossed aside for fear you may ask for too high of a salary or be gearing up for retirement. A good way to present relevant job information for that time is to list it as "Additional Experience" and simply include your title and company (and a sentence or two about your accomplishments there). This leaves only the most relevant, current information in the spotlight without letting them know you were around before the internet.

Your high school education or unfinished college degrees. Showing this information unintentionally communicates that you lack relevant education and are desperate to put something - anything - in the education section of your resume. While it is best to leave off pre-college education and incomplete higher ed, you still have options such as:

(1) If you are close to finishing and/or have a large number of credit hours, it is fine to list the degree something like this:

112 credit hours towards B.S., Business Administration, University of Florida (Graduation: Fall 2011)

(2) Instead of college, list relevant academic trainings such as trade certifications, designations, certificates of completion, etc. that you have received. These give the hiring manager assurance that you have an academic background and follow-through.

(3) Leave off your education section altogether so as to draw attention away from the subject altogether. Not an optimal choice, but it may raise fewer red flags than including a weak education section.

Your address - if your targeted job is far away. Simply put, if you are planning a move to L.A., don't list your New York address! Hiring managers see this as an expense (relocation costs), drain on resources (scheduling hassles, conference call interviewing, etc.) - basically a logistical nightmare. If you are planning a move and have an address or P.O. Box in your new city already, feel free to list that. If not, you may opt to just put your current city and state. However, it would be misleading to put the new city and state if you have not established residence there. I have even worked with candidates who chose not to include a location at all for various reasons.

It is important to remember that there is no right or wrong way to write a resume. By trying to fit the mold of a "typical resume", you may be doing more harm than good and closing yourself off from some great job opportunities. So, get a friend to read your resume and tell you if aspects like the ones above are limiting you and your career.

Cathy Eng is a Certified Advanced Resume Writer and owner of Resume Rocketeer, Inc. She specializes in helping clients leverage their best skills and experiences to create a powerful, effective resume and cover letter. Cathy specializes in a wide variety of fields and experience levels, as well as professionals looking to change career paths and those returning to the workforce after an extended period of time. She is a member of the National Resume Writers Association, Career Directors International, and Professional Association of Resume Writers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Eng

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Should I Leave My Degree Off My Resume?

By Jessica M Holbrook Jessica M Holbrook
Level: Platinum

Jessica Holbrook is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter. She has written more than 100 articles that are featured ...

There are many different reasons why you might be interested in a job for which you're overqualified. Maybe you need less stress in your life, maybe you're returning to the workforce after some time away, or maybe you're making a career change and need to get some entry-level experience. Regardless of the reason, applying for jobs for which you're overqualified can be tricky business.

Common sense tells us that employers should want the best educated, most qualified candidates for any given position. In reality, employers want to hire employees who are going to stick around, because bringing in new employees is expensive. Many companies assume that someone with a degree (or two) will quickly grow bored performing an administrative job. Therefore, employers sometimes sort obviously overqualified employees immediately into the discard pile.

If you're applying for jobs that don't require as much experience or education as you possess, it's perfectly okay to omit some of your professional history. The objective behind writing your resume is to secure an interview. Once you're in that interview, you'll have the opportunity to tell the company why you're interested in a position that may not seem like a challenge. However, you'll never get that opportunity if you don't make onto the short list of great candidates.

Remember, hiring managers make decisions about candidates based on very quick impressions, usually 30 seconds or less. It's best to offer them just enough information to show that you're a great match for the job description. Don't worry that you're selling yourself short-remember, the goal is to get an interview, not to act like you're not as smart as you are. Once you get that interview, you can surprise the interviewer with how competent and engaging you are-and how much you want the opportunity they have to offer.

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, speaker and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates high-impact, best-in-class, resumes and cover letters that transform job searches into interviews and ultimately job offers. For more information about professional resume writing or to read more career and job search related articles visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com/ or call 1.800.991.5187.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_M_Holbrook

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Article Submitted On: December 17, 2010

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Resume Color: When in Doubt, Leave It Out

The Question of Resume Color

Time and again I get questions about using color in a resume design. The questions read something like this:

Should I use color in a resume?Which resume color will make mine stand out?Do recruiters and hiring managers love or hate resume color?

Some say color is the kiss of death in a resume. Some love it. I say "it depends."

Before you even think about which shade of green to use in your resume, make sure your resume content is the best it can be. Don't even think about designing your resume-color or no color-until you've written stellar content that highlights your best accomplishments. The design is window dressing for the content of your resume, not the other way around.

When you are sure that your resume content markets you in the best way possible, then start to think about the way you want to present it. You can make excellent resume content highly visible with careful use of color. Some good ways to incorporate color include:

Using a subtle color shade to call out a text box containing important resume skills.Incorporating rules (lines all the way across your resume page) in a color that highlights section headings in your resume.Drawing attention to your bullet points with a clever use of color in the bullet design.

It should go without saying that the color of the body text in your resume should be black. Only black. Color in a Resume Depends on What You Want to Telegraph to Your Future Employer If you are not completely sure that using color in a resume will help you, don't use any color at all. You definitely won't go wrong by being ultraconservative in your resume design approach.

For example, if you work in a very conservative industry, such as finance or banking, you're not likely to win over a hiring manager who wants someone conservative like her. You wouldn't appear at your interview wearing bright green socks with your navy pinstriped suit, so don't be flagrantly nontraditional in your resume, either.

On the other hand, if you're a graphic designer, and you want to show off your skills in a concrete way, take advantage of your skills and add a cleverly designed element to your resume. Use color in a way that shows your flair, cleverness, and capability. The Truth Is Somewhere in the Middle Most people aren't corporate bankers or artists: They're regular people seeking regular jobs. If this sounds more like you, then simply use common sense about color. As a professional resume writer, I like using color. However, I know that "less is more." The most important part of the resumes I write-and the most important part of your resume-is not the design. Rather, the most important message in your resume is why you are the ONLY person for the job.

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