First of all - Happy New Year 2024 ?? ??.
With over 23 years in graphic design, software development, and UX/UI, I've had the fortune of reviewing and identifying common elements in resumes that are often not a good idea to include and tend to be ineffective. I would like to share a list of some elements that we should (myself included) avoid having in our resumes for this newly started 2024:
- ?? Photographs and Selfies: Ok, I know you have and want to use that impressive professional photo (Yes, the one you build with that AI app on your phone), but including it in your resume can lead to risky unconscious biases from the employer or person in charge of the initial decision-process. In this field of graphic design, marketing and product development, your skills and achievements should speak for themselves. Moreover, in many countries, photographs in resumes are considered inappropriate and Rookie (This last one is my personal opinion BTW).
- ?? Professional References and Reviews: I understand you might think it's common to show who endorses or likes your work or even who love to work with you, but including references in your resume takes up valuable space; leave this strategy better for LinkedIn (Trust me, this platform is very often used for us to find talent). Most employers usually request references in later stages of the selection process, so save them for that stage and don't use them in your resume.
- ?? Hobbies and Volunteering: Remember that your personal interests are important, but they rarely influence an employer's decision in our field. It might generate some empathy, but I assure you it's not important when compared to other colleagues competing for the same position. It's better to dedicate that space to highlighting your most relevant professional skills and experiences, which I consider much more valuable (Specially if you’re curious and self learner teaching yourself new tech).
- ?? Mission Statements or Objectives: These statements tend to be vague and focused on what you want, not on what you can offer us. They are generally used by companies to highlight the type of culture that employees relate to when working with them (Usually this copy is build only to fill the about us page, LOL). We look for candidates who can significantly contribute to our teams, business, and cultural objectives.
- ?? University or Personal Projects: I must confess that although these projects can be important and quite relevant in other stages of the selection process, I believe and suggest that the ideal place for these projects would be your portfolio. In the resume, it's preferable to focus on work and educational experiences that are directly related to the position you aspire to. (Please don't highlight the Excel course you did on Domestika, Udemy or other platform if you are applying for a UI designer position.)
- ?? Inaccessible Portfolio Links: A broken or inaccessible link to your portfolio can be frustrating for employers and give a bad impression of your technological and professional capabilities (Specially if your actively applying for jobs). Make sure all links are functional and accessible, or if they are private, define passwords or gates that you want to share in advance with employers.
- ?? Grammatical and Spelling Errors: In a field that demands a lot of attention to detail, such as UX/UI and software development, errors can be perceived as a reflection of your work quality, lack of focus, or distraction. A thorough review is essential; I always recommend taking the time to check (And Double-check) grammar and spelling before publishing or sending any document (Include Emails).
- ?? Excessive Visual Design: I know you want to demonstrate your graphic design skills, and that you know a lot about Illustrator (And you made your resume in Figma), but an overloaded resume can make it difficult to read and distract us from being able to interpret your content. Opt for a clean and professional design that facilitates reading, and if you want to highlight your high level of design, this is the best canvas to demonstrate it.
- ??Unnecessary Subtitles: Keep your resume clean, with a direct focus. Too many subtitles and decorative elements can make it look cluttered and make it difficult to identify important information. The importance of a resume is that we can understand where to read, identify in the shortest time which reading flow to follow, and above all identify your most relevant information.
- ?? Lists of Skills, Applications, or Technologies: Lists of skills without context don't show how you apply them in real situations, it's like a long list of ingredients but without being able to know what to do with them. It is much more impactful to integrate your skills into the descriptions of your work experiences, showing how they contributed to successful outcomes, both professionally and working with teams.
Please Remember, there are no second chances for a first impression, and a resume is your first impression in a professional environment. Make sure it reflects your professionalism, skills, and experience clearly and effectively. With these adjustments, your resume will not only stand out among others professionals, but will also efficiently speak about your ability to present information concisely and relevantly, a crucial and sometimes lost skill in our field and this generation.
