3 Things To Ditch in Your Resumé Update

Before you sit down at your laptop to update your resumé, you should know that a few things have changed. Besides modernizing the format of your resumé and including all your latest achievements, you should first remove 3 things. 

Here’s the top 3 things that you need to ditch in your resumé update and why. 

1.References are NOT required

You’ve likely been told in the past to have two references on hand that can vouch for you. However, nowadays it’s pretty easy to search for someone’s past work experience online. 

You may still come across a potential employer who will ask for references after responding to your job application, but they certainly don’t need to be included on your resumé update.

Instead include your LinkedIn profile with your contact information, and that will also speak to your professional experience. 

2. Delete all information from high school

You may have been valedictorian, but no one cares. All that matters now is the degree you obtained, the certifications you have, and your on-the-job training.

You’e been employed before, and that is the information that should be highlighted, front-and-centre. For that matter, education can come after your employment history. 

As a professional, you want to highlight your best achievements. and really, less is more here. You’ve done enough over the past few years to fill two pages of your resumé.

3. No objective statement in your resumé update

That’s right - the good ol’ objective statement is a thing of the past. When you think about it, it’s fairly redundant. The person reading your resumé knows what job you’re applying for. 

Instead, write a professional summary, which is sometimes referred to as a career statement. Think of this as a headline for your resumé update and for you as a personal brand.

What makes you special? How will you specifically bring value to your next role? Highlighting your unique brand of awesome  is necessary in a resumé, and you want to summarize it here.

Simplify your resumé update

Before you start to add all your recent experience and promotions, start by eliminating the above three things. This will give you a clean slate to work from. 

Have any further questions about resumé updates or complete re-writes? Send me an email or hit me up on LinkedIn!