Stop it, it’s now outdated! See things you should not add to your Resume again this year

Stop it! See things you should not add to your Resume again this year

Making a list of things you should not add to your Resume sometimes could leave one confused with the question; what exactly do these people want from me?

Preamble

Why hasn’t writing a resume become less difficult over time if it’s supposed to get easier as technology advances? On the contrary, every month, we are given a new commandment regarding resumes, such as “Thou shalt not use a resume objective statement” or “Thou shalt not send a traditional resume to a creative company.” Any competent worker would feel a little agitated by this.

What’s new in Resume writing?

The good news is that we have compiled a comprehensive list of resume guidelines, covering everything from the tried-and-true to the cutting-edge. Check it out, and then get out your resume and make sure it’s in shape for hiring managers to see.

Perfecting your elevator pitch verbally is like crafting a stellar resume. It condenses all the information a busy hiring manager needs to know about you into a single, easily digestible document. Hence, they know you’re qualified for an interview before meeting you.

If that emphasizes the significance of resumes, that’s because it does. It is your bread and butter when applying for jobs and will serve as your reference for the rest of your working life.

CV writing is becoming an increasingly refined art form. Even if you’ve received several promotions since 2019 or 2020, your once-impressive resume may show its age. After the pandemic, many businesses rethought their hiring practices.

Hiring managers today may place less value on your college degree and more on the remote work skills you honed over the past two years. You can use these dos and don’ts to make your resume shine, starting from scratch or revising an old one.

The Do’s of Resume include;

Always try to put your best foot forward with a unique resume. Ensure your resume is well-suited to each job by emphasizing your experience and skills most relevant to the position you’re applying for. Resume screening software is used by even the smallest of businesses to look for phrases from the job posting that are also present in the applicant’s resume.

Accordingly, you should use terms like “customer experience” and “product management” if the job description does (if they apply to you, of course). Emphasize the keywords and phrases used by the company you are applying for in your resume (This way, you are hacking into their mind).

Put your abilities on display. Avoid making a hiring manager second-guess your qualifications by failing to address their specific needs. You should add a short section labelled “Skills” to your resume, in which you emphasize that you possess all the necessary skills for the position.

It is sufficient to identify the skill, your level of proficiency within it, and any certifications you may have earned if the skill is a hard one, like using software or speaking a foreign language. However, this is not the case with soft skills. Don’t just say, “I’m organized” or “I’m good with time management”; show it through your past work and other achievements.

Highlight your accomplishments. Give concrete examples of how your previous work contributed to advancing departmental or company goals. Did they succeed in expanding their customer base and achieving their sales goals? And equally crucial: Have you been given more responsibility at work due to your demonstrated competence and performance?

Other Doable actions you must take while writing your resume are;

Maintain a consistent, user-friendly layout throughout.

Make assertions that are both true and motivating regarding your work.

Prioritize what’s most critical and applicable and list it first. The “Internships” and “Projects” sections could come before the “Customer Service Experience” section on your resume. Also, ensure the most vital details under each experience are listed first in bullet form.

You are expected to list your experiences within each section in reverse chronological order, the most recent first.

Always try to put your experiences in qualitative and quantitative terms. Do your best to quantify your points.

Rather than going into great detail, focus on a few key achievements. Particularly ones that apply to the job requirement.

Include more details about your work, volunteer, academic, and other relevant experiences demonstrating your transferable skills.

Read your paper aloud and check for errors. Use resources such as the Career Center, close friends, and trusted advisors.

Don’ts of Resume

A few things shouldn’t be included in your resume now. Some of the guidelines in this section may shock you.

Still, you must understand that while some practices and resume writing was tolerable and accepted by recruiters and hiring managers in 2020, it is not necessarily applicable now.

Times have changed, and the world has evolved constantly. So, why should your resume stay static? Check out the list of Don’ts below and know what to delete from your resume or what not to include when writing one.

1. You don’t need to include your address in your resume; your state and city are preferable. Good practice!

For instance, DO NOT write (No. 34 Alien Street, off Lagoon axis, Lagos, Nigeria).

Recruiters don’t need this. Instead, pen down your City and State only. (Example Uyo, Akwa Ibom State).

1. It would help if you resisted the temptation of including your entire work history from the beginning of your professional career. Instead, tailor your resume and work history to suit the role you are applying for. It is good practice if you have several resumes that apply to the different jobs you are applying for, provided it is applicable. Do Not submit a resume with a work experience with “customer representation” to a company probably looking for a “financial manager”. Always upgrade your resume to the career path you are applying for.
2. Avoid using non-action or weak action verbs. Words like “I was responsible for” and “I held” replace such phrases with action verbs like “I managed”, “I streamlined”, “I strategized”, “I increased”, and “I generated”.
3. In 2022, references were not needed in your resume. If your recruiter needs it, they will ask for it. So, avoid including references in your resume.

Other things to not include are;

Do not make use of the program’s built-in forms and tables.

Do not include your high school education.

Do not Indicate your cumulative grade point average, only include your current or most recent educational background if the employer specifically requests it or if you are still a student.

Finally, A well-honed resume serves as the cornerstone of your employment campaign. But more work must be done before you can land your ideal job. You need a comprehensive plan that will help you succeed. Finding work is more of a marathon than a sprint.

For the most jobseeker, tensions and tempers can rise, but learning about what to include and what not to include in your resume is a great way to start!