Take These 3 Things Off Your Resume

Here are three things to take off your resume:

(1) Home Address

Contact will likely come via email or a phone call. Your home address is not necessary initially – too much information, too soon, especially the zip code.

Employers can check the Internet to make subjective decisions – perhaps in their opinion the commute is too long, salary doesn’t match your lifestyle, mortgage payments, etc. You will have to give your home address at the point of submitting a company application. By then the Recruiter or HR Professional would have contacted you to show some interest in your capabilities.

The one big exception is for the ATS (Applicant Tracking System – the computer that receives, reads and ranks all uploaded resumes or online applications). Submit home addresses for all online submissions.

Lastly, there is concern about identity theft; a resume puts together a lot of personal information; no need advertising your home address.

(2) Inappropriate Email Addresses

Watch funny email addresses such as “Tequila Mama, Hot Chocolate, Stud Muffin, or  Dancing Machine.” Choose something related to your name. It is best to set up a separate email account for your job search. Open a free Gmail or Yahoo account. You can have those messages forwarded to your personal account, so you don’t miss inquiries. Make a professional first impression.

(3) Passive Phrases

Avoid Poor Phrasing – Write for humans. Tell a compelling story of your career, avoid using passive phrases like “responsible for” or “duties included.” Overuse of bullets is not helpful as it lowers readability. Remember, you get just a few seconds to capture the attention of the hiring manager. Because of phone texts, emails and Internet use, people seldom read thoroughly, they skim. Write for humans, but check for ATS machine compatibility.