17 Things You Should Never Put on Your CV!

Hiring managers receive dozens — sometimes hundreds — of CVs for any given opening.

They don’t have the time or resources to review each one closely, so they spend approximately six seconds on their initial “fit/no fit” decision.

You may be perfect for the job, but if your résumé has just one typo, if it’s formatted poorly, or you use the wrong font, it could easily end up in the “no” pile.

Vivian Giang contributed to an earlier version of this article.

1. An objective.

If you applied, it’s already obvious you want the job.

The exception: If you’re in a unique situation, such as changing industries completely, it may be useful to include a brief summary.

2. Irrelevant work experiences.

Yes, you might have been the “king of making milkshakes” at the restaurant you worked for in high school. But, unless you are planning on redeeming that title, it is time to get rid of all that clutter.

3. Personal stuff.

Don’t include your marital status, religious preference, or social security number.

This might have been the standard in the past, but all of this information is now illegal for your employer to ask you, so there’s no need to include it.

4. Your hobbies.

Nobody cares.

If it’s not relevant to the job you’re applying for, it’s a waste of space and a waste of the company’s time.

5. Your age.

If you don’t want to be discriminated from a position because of your age, it’s time to remove your graduation date, says Catherine Jewell, author of “New Résumé, New Career.”

Another surprising way your resume could give away your age: double spaces after a period.


6. References.

If your employers want to speak to your references, they’ll ask you. Also, it’s better if you have a chance to tell your references ahead of time that a future employer might be calling.

If you write, “references upon request” at the bottom of your résumé, you’re merely wasting a valuable line, career coach Eli Amdur says.


7. Personal pronouns.

Your résumé shouldn’t include the words “I,” “me,” “she,” or “my,” says Tina Nicolai, executive career coach and founder of Resume Writers’ Ink.

“Don’t write your résumé in the third or first person. It’s understood that everything on your resume is about you and your experiences.”


8. A less-than-professional email account.

If you still use an old email address, like [email protected] or [email protected], it’s time to pick a new one.

It only takes a minute or two, and it’s free.


9. Any unnecessary, obvious words, like, “Phone.”

Amdur says there is no reason to put the word “phone” in front of the actual number.

“It’s pretty silly. They know it’s your phone number.” The same rule applies to email.


10. Your current business contact info.

Amdur writes at Northjersey.com:
This is not only dangerous, it’s stupid. Do you really want employers calling you at work? How are you going to handle that? Oh, and by the way, your current employer can monitor your emails and phone calls. So if you’re not in the mood to get fired, or potentially charged with theft of services (really), then leave the business info off.


11. Social-media URLs that are not related to the targeted position.

Links to your opinionated blogs, Pinterest page, or Instagram account have no business taking up prime résumé real estate. “Candidates who tend to think their personal social media sites are valuable are putting themselves at risk of landing in the ‘no’ pile,” Nicolai says.

“But you should list relevant URLs, such as your LinkedIn page or any others that are professional and directly relate to the position you are trying to acquire,” she says.


12. Salary information.

“Some people include past hourly rates for jobs they held in college,” Nicolai says. This information is completely unnecessary and may send the wrong message.

Amy Hoover, president of Talent Zoo, says you also shouldn’t address your desired salary in a résumé. “This document is intended to showcase your professional experience and skills. Salary comes later in the interview process.”


13. Outdated fonts.

“Don’t use Times New Roman and serif fonts, as they’re outdated and old-fashioned,” Hoover says. “Use a standard, sans-serif font like Arial.”

Also, be aware of the font size, she says. Your goal should be to make it look nice and sleek — but also easy to read.


14. Annoying buzzwords.

CareerBuilder asked 2,201 US hiring managers: “What résumé terms are the biggest turnoffs?” They cited words and phrases such as, “best of breed,” “go-getter,” “think outside the box,” “synergy,” and “people pleaser.”

Terms employers do like to see on résumés include: “achieved,” “managed,” “resolved,” and “launched” — but only if they’re used in moderation.


15. Reasons you left a company or position.

Candidates often think, “If I explain why I left the position on my résumé, maybe my chances will improve.”

“Wrong,” Nicolai says. “Listing why you left is irrelevant on your résumé. It’s not the time or place to bring up transitions from one company to the next.”

Use your interview to address this.



16. Your GPA.

Once you’re out of school, your grades aren’t so relevant.

If you’re a new college graduate and your GPA was a 3.8 or higher — it’s OK to leave it. But, if you’re more than three years out of school, or if your GPA was lower than a 3.8, ditch it.


17. A photo of yourself.

This may become the norm at some point in the future, but it’s just weird (and tacky and distracting) for now.

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