Unimportant résumé details

Résumés are tricky to compose. It’s technically your first “conversation” with a prospective employer and you have to make a good and lasting impression. Your future literally depends on it. A single inconsistency on that piece of paper can send it on an express train to the rubbish bin. In other words, the content and style of your résumé will dictate whether you’ll be considered for an interview or be forgotten altogether.

Aside from indentation, grammatical and sentence construction mistkaes, HR people don’t take too kindly to details that are irrelevant to the job you’re applying for. Some companies, like advertising agencies, appreciate a little drama because it’s all about being creative. So it’s okay to submit a CV that looks like a poster. But in general, and this applies to most (non-creative) industries, professionalism is expected. (Tip: To avoid formatting errors when submitting a CV through email, send it in PDF form instead of a word document.)

Ann Baehr of Best Résumés tells career Web site Fins that “your age, race, political affiliation” and other non-job-related pieces of information “should be left off your résumé” because these details can make an applicant “open to discrimination.” Career coach Rena Nisonoff agrees and believes that you shouldn’t “include information that will not advance you in your work goals,” like hobbies and jobs you held when you were a teenager. Work history should be limited to 10, at most, 15, years.

Descriptions of your responsibilities should also be kept to a minimum for the employer to have a clear picture of the reality of your past jobs. Fins says that “there’s a pretty fine line between selling yourself and overselling yourself” and they advise against making your job responsibilities appear more managerial than they actually are. Avoid words such as “spearheaded,” “led” and “supervised” if you are a team member and not a team leader. That means, don’t lie.

Unless you’re a new graduate with no work experience, it’s advisable to exclude the “Objective” section of your CV. Instead, create a background summary and phrase it in such a way that your career objective is hinted at. Your summary should be concise and include highlights and the length of your professional life and may touch on your strengths, related skills and education.

Other things deemed unnecessary are a headshot, salary expectations and jobs you were terminated from. And don’t end your résumé with “References available upon request.” The hiring person knows that and will ask for references if needed. You’re not supposed to give them an option. It’s their decision if they want to exercise that right so be ready with names, numbers and e-mail addresses at all times. –Ed Biado, Manila Standard Today