RESUME“ DO NOT’ S”
Do not lie on the resume. Even a little white lie may come back to haunt. Be as honest as possible.
Do not use a lot of fancy formatting and fonts. Clear, concise, and easy to read is best. Avoid color and images.
Do not include personal information. It is not necessary to include height, weight, health, family situation, hobbies, etc., on a resume. Avoid listing your mailing address to prevent distance bias.
Do not mass email a resume. There is no targeting or personalization in mass emailing or submitting. Sounding vague will not impress potential employers. Even when submitting your resume to multiple roles with the same job title, ensure each resume is tailored to the specific qualifications of the jobs to increase chances of success.
Do not exaggerate accomplishments. Be honest about your role in successes but focus on the facts and less on yourself( avoid“ I”) to sound humble. Do not say you had a hand in a successful endeavor / project when, in fact, you did not. Specifics may be required, and if they cannot be given, it will not look good.
Do not undersell your accomplishments. If you have used Excel before but aren’ t an expert, wording such as“ Basic understanding of Excel” could be appropriate. A good rule of thumb is: If you feel you can thoroughly explain or defend the way a qualification is worded on your resume, include it.
Do not discuss salary needs. A resume is not the time to make a bid for salary.
Do not use jargon and acronyms. Use straightforward language that everyone will recognize. If appropriate,“ speak the language” of the field once in an interview situation.
Do not send a resume without proofreading first. Typos could be grounds for disqualification.
Do not list too much experience. List only the last 10-15 years’ worth of jobs. Some employers may think a highly experienced applicant will demand a high salary. Also, unfortunately, age discrimination can occur.
Do not list references right on the resume. These go on a separate document, often submitted during the job application process.
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