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I honestly couldn’t imagine job-searching right now, given the fact that millions upon millions of Americans are without a job, only making the candidate pool for any position even more inflated than normal. I’m lucky to have a steady paycheck (I think…?) and a few side hustles that bring in additional income as a safety net. But, man, for those of you without a job or any income right now, I wish you luck, because it has to be a daunting time.
Most of us have been in that precarious position before, searching for newly posted jobs nonstop and hoping that, just one, gets back to you with good news. And, while you’re job-searching all day and all night in hopes of getting a leg up on other people, you could be holding yourself back with one simple (but obviously important) thing: You resume.
We all know that a resume’s your one shining moment, and is supposed to represent all the great things you’ve accomplished in your career. It’s why there are loads of resume tips out there for people to follow, because it’s the single most critical thing when looking for a job until you (hopefully) snag an interview.
With so many different ways to format a resume and communicate your accomplishments, J.T. O’Donnell, a career expert and the founder and CEO of Work It Daily, has some advice on what sections you should absolutely avoid. These are things that, in her opinion, don’t add any value to you as a candidate — so it’s best to delete these from your resume for the next time you’re job-searching.
Per CNBC/Make It:
- Summary statements: The responsibilities and accomplishments listed in the job history section of your resume should already paint a picture of what you bring to the table, so there’s no need to amplify it with a long preface.
- Objective statements: This doesn’t offer any new or useful information. What’s the point of spelling out the obvious fact that you’re interested in the position?
- What you’re looking for in a job: Even if you’re a poach-worthy name in the industry, explaining what you want in a job just makes you look like an amateur. Your goal is to sell how you can help the company, not the other way around.
O’Donnell feels like the three sections above are outdated for hiring managers or recruiters, and only take up long-winded space on a resume that needs more explaining than necessary. Instead, she suggests starting with one sentence that broadly references your background, while highlighting two of your strongest skills.
It’s very simple: [TITLE] with [X] years of experience in [X] and [X].
Then, below that, insert a column of six to eight more specific skills that are measurable and can be validated in the experience section. This allows hiring managers to quickly scan your abilities and begin checking off the boxes of what they’re looking for in a candidate.
Now that you’re armed with some updated resume tips for the next time you’re job-searching, go forth and put your best foot forward, guys. In a time of so much uncertainty and competition in the workplace, it’s little things like this that could make all the difference between hearing back from a hopeful employer and being passed over. Good luck out there!