5 Things You Should Never Put on Your Resume

Written by Farah Ashfaq | Last modified on:

Resume Important Points

1. Ancient History

Once you enter the workforce, what you did in high school no longer matters. Though you may still take great pride in your accomplishments on the football team or the chess club, keep this information to yourself. The harsh truth is that no employer will care about what you did or didn’t do when you were a teenager.

2. Embarrassing Stats

Speaking of school, it’s entirely acceptable to include tidbits about your collegiate career on a resume –– particularly if you’ve only recently graduated. However, you should never put information on your resume that shows you in a bad light. So don’t feel compelled to note a low college G.P.A. on your resume; omit it and move on.

3. Soft Skills

Do business owners value individuals with soft skills like empathy and dedication? Of course! Does that mean you should list “empathetic” or “dedicated” on your list of skills? Heck no! Doing so will make you look silly. Show off soft skills like a dedication by getting the details right on your resume and listing relevant work experience.

4. Personal Info

Your height, weight, race, religion, gender, and/or preference of ice-cream topping have no bearing on your search for gainful employment. Additionally, don’t put your photograph on your resume either. (Notable exception for individuals applying for acting or modeling roles. In such a scenario, by all means, share your headshot.)

5. Errors/Incorrect Info

Typos are cringe-worthy, and you should do everything in your power to expunge all spelling/grammatical errors from your resume text. Worse than a relatively minor writing error though is the inclusion of incorrect information. Lying on a resume is a huge mistake that could cost you many job opportunities. Remember, virtually all hiring managers will vet your resume for accuracy, and it’s not worth trying to obfuscate facts with fiction on your CV.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re applying for a job at a company that manufactures jersey barriers or a local business that sells life insurance, make sure to keep all of this professional faux pas away from your resume. Do so, and you’ll give yourself every chance to secure an awesome job!