Are you failing to see results from your job-seeking efforts? A lack of ‘call-back’ interviews or responses from employers can be detrimental to morale. However, this does not always mean you are unqualified, but simply that you are not up-to-date with what today’s hiring managers are seeking.
If you are starting on your job search, there are guaranteed to be several elements you can discard from your previously used resume. Join us as we review four obsolete resume tricks revealed by our friends at The Ladder.
Using an Objective Statement
So you are looking for a new challenge to help you grow, and you aspire to make a positive impact? Big deal. Employers do not feel an urge to hear your vaguely described needs and desires because it does not help them evaluate your qualifications and skill-set. If you have not already, now is the time to replace your objective statement with a professional summary. Career expert Amanda Augustine (Top Resume) recommends your summary follow these guidelines:
“In three to five sentences, summarize your qualifications for the role you’re targeting and provide examples of how you’ve used the skills and experience you’ve gained to produce results and provide value to your previous employers.”
“References Available Upon Request”
Four words may not seem to be a massive waste of space, but with its heading, the brief section becomes an eyesore for hiring managers. The statement is a prominent, outdated cliché and therefore brings the job seeker no benefit. Your interviewer assumes references can quickly be made available, seeing that you are actively seeking their approval. If you do not have any references available, your chances at the job are minuscule. Although you should undoubtedly have individuals in mind, any mentions of references on your resume are unnecessary.
Cramming Your Content to One Page
If you have minimal work experience, restricting yourself to one page of content is ideal. Forcing irrelevant details and work experience just to get to two pages is cretinous. However, when you possess work experience, education, and certifications relevant to the job application at hand, a two-page resume is more than merited. It is important to keep in mind that your second page will not receive nearly as much focus as your first, so it’s best to list your most relevant information early.
“Most resume reviewers would rather read a well-laid-out, easy-to-skim, two-page resume than a one-page resume that jams too much information on the page.” -Kim Isaacs
Including Your Full Address
It would be rare to find someone who lists a mailing address as a preferred line of communication. With already listing your phone number and email address, including a full address can be seen as a waste of space on an already content-filled resume. Additionally, with the plethora of databases and employment-related search engine platforms, there is an increased risk in sharing your address.
However, knowing a general location can be critical to an employer’s willingness to reach out. Limit your location data to the city/region and state.
With all this in mind, what should your resume look like in 2020 & beyond? Our friends at The Muse recently laid out seven tips to help you stand out of the crowd and land that interview!
Before You Go
View Current Job Openings
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn