Some people dream of success, while others wake up and make a resume

The resume focuses on you and the past and the cover letter focuses on the employer and the future so tell the interviewer what you can do to benefit his company in the future. Whether you call it a curriculum, vitae, a cv or a resume it is basically the complete description of yourself and it has a motive to get you your desired job.

A resume is your sales brochure. It is a snapshot of all the achievements you made, all the education and experience you gained and all the skills you have. It reflects your personality and it is the first step to get a job. So keep it clean, crisp and to the point. A resume forms your first impression because it is your first document that an employer will look at and a resume will tell him about your level of professionalism and about your abilities to do the job. Resumes are the first chance to convince the employer to call you for the interview so it has to be inviting to the eyes and should gain attention immediately. In this competitive world your resume has to be professional so that it manages to make some space in the employer’s mind and it also stands out among the numerous other resumes. Resumes are important because all your years of hard work and studies are going to be presented in one sheet in front of your employer and you just have few moments to tell your employer that why he deserves you. Don’t let even a single mistake misrepresent years of your hard work.  Make your resume accurate and all the information has to be true and to the point.

Many people fail to form a good impression with their resumes because they make it too long and they add unnecessary things in the resume which forces the employer to reject it. What should be added in a resume is equally important to what should be added in a resume because ultimately it’s about forming the first good impression and for that both negative and positive points should be kept in mind. Even the slightest mistake on your resume can get you in trouble even if you are qualified enough to get this job and you have all the skills. If you can’t present yourself well in a resume then you have no other means to impress the employer.

So here is the list of few things which you should not add in a resume

  • Photograph and physical characteristics- A candidate should never put his photograph on the resume so that he can get an equal employment opportunity. It is illegal to consider factors like race, gender, nationality, religion class etc and when you put a photograph you revel some of your details. And if the interviewer does not hire you or calls you for the interview it may be the possibility of discrimination.  Likewise mentioning your physical characteristics on a resume may again get you into the possibility of being discriminated and an accusation of discrimination may be out against the company.
  • Personal details- Personal detail section on your resume is your first chance to introduce yourself to the employer. If you made any mistake in the initial stage only then you can say good bye to the job. Employers are usually not interested in your date of birth, hobbies, race, marital status etc. so do not include any information on your resume beyond your address, email and phone number.
  • Unrelated work experience- You don’t need to mention every job on your resume which you have done till now. Mention only those work experiences which are related to the job you are going for. And if you don’t have any work experience in that filed then you can mention your other work experience in brief. The employer may not be interested in those work experiences which are not beneficial for him or for his company.
  • Negativity- Everyone has some dark experiences in life but there is no place for any negative experience or thoughts in the resume. Your resume is a promotional document so it has to be positive. The ultimate aim of a resume is to convince a person so that he calls you for an interview and your resume will never be convincing enough if you will add negative points or thoughts in it.
  • Salary history- Salary is an issue which you must discuss with the employer at the time of interview or after you get the job. Don’t mention your salary history or your current salary or the salary you expect from the employer on your resume.
  • The date you prepared your resume- The employer is least interested in knowing when you prepared your resume. Adding the date on which you prepared your resume might give an impression that you are using a resume which you have sent to many other employers.  The only dates which should be included in your resume should be regarding your past education and experiences.
  • False information- Never provide any fake information on your resume. Make sure that you are able to justify all the information mentioned by you on your resume. A wrong or a fake information can get you into trouble if the employer will cross check it.  Make your resume as accurate and as consistent as possible to avoid any trouble in the future.
  • Say no to personal pronouns- Your resume should not include words like “I”, “me” or “my” because resume is supposed to be an accurate description about you, not by you. Don’t write your resume in the thirst person or first person. It is your resume so it is understood that all the information in it is about you only.