Cut these lines from your résumé today

Every word of your résumé should serve your desire to get a job. Nobody wants to waste words when we should be filling résumés with anecdotes about the great things you’ve done, and ways you can help a prospective business. And it can't be too long either.

As Bogdan Zlatkov says, a résumé should be a trailer, not the whole movie.

“The most common mistake I see job seekers make is to think that their résumé is a complete summary of their work experience. It's much better to think of your resume as a highlight reel or a movie trailer."

"You don't want to give away the whole plot of the film, you just want to show the best bits that will get the recruiter to say, I want to see more of this."

So, what can be cut to make room for more of the good stuff? We asked résumé writers and career coaches to share their tips. It’s time to break the format, a little, and get editing.

CUT a title saying 'Curriculum Vitae'

Sarah Burgess "I'm always surprised at how many people have "Curriculum Vitae" written across the top of their CV. That's at least one line that can be saved!"

CUT a photo

Sarah Felice "A photo should never be included as the emphasis is on skills and capabilities."

CUT A full mailing address

Renata Bernarde "There's no need, but depending on the job, let them know that you are in the area. Mailing address could be a source of unconscious (or conscious) bias, so be careful. But if you want to make sure the recruiter knows you are in the area, add the city or region you live in."

CUT any experiences irrelevant to the job at hand

Jane Pingo "I always suggest my clients ask themselves, 'Is this specific piece of content relevant to the job I’m applying for?' If the answer is 'no' then it could be résumé clutter — obscuring the genuinely relevant skills, capabilities, education, achievements and experiences that make them a great candidate for a role."

CUT full role descriptions from previous jobs

Gillian Kelly "You don't need a washing list of basic duties, especially if you are replicating it in each position. Instead, give them a quick insight into the role and its key challenges and highlight your main achievements with metrics where possible."

Cut "References available upon request"

Cholena Orr "References are always available on request... no need to state it."

Exceptions:

Andy Agouridis "If you target Gulf corporation countries, include full personal details and a photo. If you have limited experience, list all of it. If you are a graduate, lead with your education. If you apply for a very technical roles, you can add a technical skills section in the end of your résumé. If you plan to hand your résumé to someone face to face, you can create an infographic version on top of the standard one."

And remember, do they want a CV or a résumé?

Jane Jackson: "A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is Latin for 'course of life'. In contrast, résumé is French for "summary." A résumé is a summary of your career highlights that are relevant to the reader. A CV in the true sense of the word can be a much longer document and can include everything that you have done in your career including papers you've published, research you've conducted and more."

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