Things to leave off your resume (2024)

Sending out resumes, but getting no reply? It might not be because you do not have the needed qualifications, but because you have too much stuff there. Today we will look at the things you should leave out!

At first, it is always essential to have a structure.

You should leave out long paragraphs without bullets, as it can seem chaotic to read. Your potential employer can just glance over it and miss the essential things.

When you are referring to your previous job, you should not include the reason why you left. It is irrelevant information, but also it can seem like you are just making excuses. The best way is just to list your previous jobs without any statements or reasons why you left, you do not need to justify the change of your career path.

As a resume is a limited space for you to share all your great qualities, you should not include your hobbies or personal interest. Even tho, it can seem more personal, the resume is not the space for it. Instead, you should mention your professional skill set, which can be helpful in the position you are interested in.

You can have a lot of experience from various industries, but you should put just the relevant experience into your resume. You want to show that you are qualified for the position you are applying for so any irrelevant experience or skills should be left out.

Don't mention your salary history. Talk about salary should be left for the interview, where you can talk through it in person. Salary is usually based on negotiation, and if you put your salary history in your resume, it could put you at a significant disadvantage in the negotiation process.

When it comes to describing you and your capabilities, try to leave out overused words and phrases. For example, when you write you are hardworking or a team player, it does not offer any specific information about your qualification!

When you use social media as your portfolio, it is good to mention it in your resume, but if this is not the case, leave your social media profile out!

And lastly, leave out a list of recommendations. Recommendations are important but hold onto them and only distribute them once there is mutual interest later in the employment process.

We hope this helps you with your job search and resume writing! Let us know your tips!