5 things not to include on your resume

Every day, recruiters scan dozens if not hundreds of resumes to find the best candidates for the job. It is in your best interests to ensure that your chance to secure the position is as polished as it could get. With that in mind, let's look over some of the things to exclude in your resume so that it can extend its stay on the recruiter's table.

1. Irrelevant skills/work experience

When you are just starting out, it may be beneficial to list down any work experience you may have to showcase how you fared as an employee. However, as you advance in your career, it is recommended to limit the skills and experience you list in the resume to the ones your employer would find most useful.

2. Too much personal information

What recruiters look for in a resume is what you have to offer. Details such as marital status, sexual orientation, and religious/political beliefs waste precious space that could otherwise be reserved to advertise yourself and may harm your chances depending on who's reading your application. 

3. Spelling mistakes/grammatical errors

In the eyes of the recruiter, leaving such mistakes on your resume means that you weren't attentive enough or you just didn't put enough effort. Run your resume through with a close friend or family member or use a grammar checker which can be easily found online.

4. Unnecessary clutter

Do away with the eye-catching resume templates that take up half the space, as well as charts and graphs may not even have a basis for. No need to add a picture of yourself as well, or any picture for that manner. You also do not need to add a list of references in your resume or say that your "references are available upon request," as your employers will specifically ask if they want them from you.

5. Exaggerations/lies

It is easier now than ever for recruiters to do a background check on you thanks to technology. Embellishing your achievements or even flat-out fabricating them can only sabotage your career in the long run. It is better to just be honest and save yourself the risk of damaging your reputation and integrity.

On the other side of the recruitment process

There is more to recruitment than just going through resumes and finding the best ones. Oftentimes, recruitment requires a substantial effort to find and screen candidates that some companies or businesses may struggle to accomplish. To better focus on more executive matters, they may enlist the help of consulting agencies such as Q2 HR Solutions to be able to manage the workload.

Q2 ensures that they will find the right person for the right job, at the right time. By partnering with Q2, all your staffing needs are fulfilled through their specialized services such as People4People and Hiring Basix. 

It is more important than ever to distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack, now that the recruitment process continues to optimize itself to face the challenge of increasing job seekers. Your resume is your key to securing opportunities, and a well-maintained, well-built key will net you more success than a defective one that hinders you.