5 Popular Resume Tips You Should Ignore

With the introduction of email, video interviewing and social media to the job search process, it’s time to do away with “old school” tips, tricks and pieces of job search advice. First and foremost, job seekers need to revisit their resumes. So much of what is featured and the way in which they are delivered are outdated, oftentimes costing job candidates an interview.

U.S. News and World report highlights some of those age-old pieces of resume advice that are just that — too old. The modern job seeker must be tech-savvy and progressive, and their resume should be the first piece of evidence to depict that.

1. Resumes should only be one page. If you’re using a six-point font just to keep your resume to one page, you could be losing out on job interviews or that perfect opportunity. Today, resumes don’t need to be formatted just to fit one page. They can be two, three, even four pages. Just make sure that all of the information you’re presenting on your resume is relevant.
2. List all work experience on your resume. Along the same lines, you don’t need to include every singe job you’ve held since seventh grade. You only need to include work experience that is relevant to the position to which you’re applying.
3. Include “references available upon request” on your resume. These days, it’s just assumed that you’ll provide the names and numbers for references. Now, you can save that room to keep your resume down to one page — just kidding.
4. Feature an “Objective” on the resume. Blame it on LinkedIn, but potential employers don’t want to see your career objective anymore. Rather, they want a summary that defines you as a professional. It’s no longer necessary to list what you hope to be; instead, hiring recruiters and managers want to see what you’ve made of yourself already.
5. Format for and invest in good resume paper. Resume paper is a thing of the past. Your resume needs to be formatted for a computer screen. After all, you’re most likely submitting an application online, and once you’re approved for an interview, hiring recruiters and managers are just going to forward your resume along via email.

When it comes to resume advice, make sure you know the difference between what is professional in today’s job search market and what is passé. Potential employers are looking for forward-thinking, progressive and innovative new hires, and nothing will get your resume thrown out faster than outdated content and a botched format.

What other pieces of resume advice to you find to be too old fashioned? Share now in our comments!