Recruiters rarely have time to read the entire résumé hence it is vital that the resumé has information that is correct, precise and relevant to the position applied for. They have only a few seconds to go through it and see if you will be a good fit for the position you have applied for based on the information given. It is important to spend time creating your resumé while applying for a particular job so that it gets shortlisted and you recieve that much awaited interview call.
Things to do away in the resumé Objective
If you have applied for the position it is obvious that you want that job. Also, most of us have a general objective which won’t impress the recruiter. Instead, replace it with professional profile where you mention what you are best at and how you can be valuable to the employer which gives them a reason to consider you for hiring.
E-mail ID of current employer or inappropriate e-mail ID
Of course you don’t want the recruiter to send you an email on your current work ID for the job position, hence you must always provide a personal e-mail address that recruiters can write to. Also, avoid giving out weird e-mail IDs like loverboy@gmail.com or chatterbox@yahoo.com
Headshot/Photo
You should avoid having a photo on your resumé unless asked for. Having a photo on the resumés leads to recruiters creating their own perceptions about a person, religion etc. Provide it only if you are applying for an acting/modelling job.
Interests that are irrelevant and weird
Avoid mentioning weird interests like bodybuilding, chatting which do not bring in relevance of any kind. Mention interests that you can relate to the position applied for, like someone applying for a travel anchor position mentioning travelling as an interest works in their favour and so on.
Badly formatted resumé and information that is relevant
It is very important to pay attention to the format of the resumé and check the grammar. Use a consistent font type and size throughout and have bold headers. Avoid using Times New Roman as it is very old school, use Book Antique or Arial instead. Also, avoid using many bullets in the resumé unless you want something to stand out. Don’t use headers and footers. The resumé should be easy to read and look uncluttered. A one page resumé is good for a fresher.
References upon request
References, if needed, is asked for during the interview or post that, hence you need not waste space writing it. You can provide it on request.
(Author is the Manager of the placement centre at Whistling Woods)