A resume’s purpose is to secure a job interview. Recruiters may spend only seconds reviewing an application, so every word and design choice matters. The elements you choose to leave off your resume are just as important as those you include. A document that is cluttered, unprofessional, or contains inappropriate information can quickly land your application in the discard pile. Understanding what to omit is a strategic step toward creating a more effective marketing document.
What to Leave Off Your Resume
A Headshot or Photo
Including a photograph on your resume is a practice to avoid in the United States and several other countries. A headshot can introduce unconscious bias into the hiring process. Recruiters and hiring managers are human, and their impressions can be swayed by a candidate’s appearance, which has no bearing on their qualifications or ability to perform the job. To ensure your application is judged solely on merit, leave photos off.
Personal Information
Details such as your age, date of birth, marital status, religion, or nationality do not belong on a professional resume. This type of information is irrelevant to your ability and can lead to discrimination. By excluding these personal details, you keep the focus squarely on your skills, experience, and professional value, ensuring a fairer evaluation of your candidacy.
Your Full Mailing Address
Providing your full street address on a resume is an outdated practice. Including it can pose a safety and privacy risk, especially since resumes are often uploaded to various online platforms. Recruiters do not need this level of detail early in the process. Simply listing your city, state, and zip code is sufficient to indicate your general location to a potential employer.
An Unprofessional Email Address
The email address you use for job applications is a reflection of your professionalism. An address like “partyanimal2000@email.com” or a long-forgotten nickname can undermine your credibility before a recruiter even reads your qualifications. Create a simple, professional email for your job search, ideally a variation of your first and last name, to present a polished and serious image.
An Objective Statement
Objective statements are a relic of past resume trends. These statements typically focus on the job seeker’s goals, such as “Seeking a challenging role that allows for professional growth.” This approach tells employers what you want from them, rather than what you can offer. This valuable space at the top of your resume is better used for a Professional Summary that highlights your key qualifications and accomplishments.
The Phrase “References Available Upon Request”
Including the line “References available upon request” wastes valuable resume space. Employers assume that you will provide references. They will ask for this information when they are ready to proceed to that stage of the hiring process. Eliminating this phrase frees up a line that can be used to showcase another skill or accomplishment.
Irrelevant Work Experience or Hobbies
Every entry on your resume should show why you are the right fit for the specific job you are targeting. Early work experience, such as a high school summer job, is likely not relevant and should be removed if you have more recent, applicable experience. Hobbies and personal interests should only be included if they directly relate to the position or demonstrate a transferable skill.
Lies or Exaggerations
Dishonesty on a resume is a significant risk that can lead to immediate disqualification. Many companies conduct thorough background checks, and a lie discovered during this process or in an interview will destroy your credibility and ruin your chances of being hired.
Salary History or Expectations
Disclosing your salary history or expectations on your resume is not recommended. Providing this information too early can lead to you being screened out if your numbers are too high, or it can anchor you to a lower salary range during negotiations if your numbers are too low. Furthermore, a growing number of states and cities have enacted laws that prohibit employers from asking about a candidate’s past salary.
Reasons for Leaving Previous Jobs
Your resume should highlight your strengths and achievements, not air grievances or explain complex departure circumstances. Including reasons for leaving past roles can come across as negative, defensive, or unprofessional. This topic is best saved for the interview, where you can provide context and frame the situation positively.
Typos and Grammatical Errors
A resume with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors suggests a lack of attention to detail, poor communication skills, or a general carelessness in your work. To avoid this, proofread your document multiple times, read it aloud, and consider having a trusted friend or colleague review it before you send it to any employer.
Distracting Formatting
Using overly complex or distracting formatting can work against you. Hard-to-read fonts, excessive use of color, columns, and graphics can make the document difficult to scan quickly. Moreover, these elements can confuse Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), the software many companies use to screen resumes, which could cause your application to be rejected before a person ever sees it.
What to Include Instead
After removing unnecessary information, you can use the newly available space to strengthen your resume. Instead of an outdated objective statement, begin with a “Professional Summary” or “Summary of Qualifications.” This short, 3-4 line paragraph should convey your professional identity, top skills, and the value you bring to a potential employer. It acts as an introduction that hooks the reader and encourages them to learn more about you.
Use the body of your resume to showcase concrete achievements rather than just listing job duties. Replace a generic list of responsibilities with bullet points that feature quantifiable results. Instead of saying “Responsible for managing social media,” you could write “Grew social media engagement by 35% over six months by implementing a new content strategy.” Using action verbs and specific metrics provides proof of your accomplishments and impact.
Consider adding a section for “Technical Skills” or “Certifications” if they are relevant to your field. This allows you to highlight specific software proficiency, programming languages, or professional credentials that are required for the job. The most important keywords and qualifications are easy for both recruiters and Applicant Tracking Systems to identify, increasing the likelihood that your resume will make it to the next step.
Final Resume Checklist
- A headshot or any type of photo.
- Personal information like age, marital status, or religion.
- Your full street and mailing address.
- An unprofessional or casual email address.
- An objective statement.
- The phrase “References available upon request.”
- Irrelevant jobs or hobbies.
- Any exaggerations or falsehoods.
- Salary history or your desired salary.
- Reasons for leaving past positions.
- Any typos or grammatical mistakes.
- Distracting fonts, colors, or graphics.