Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?: A Crash Course in Finding, Landing, and Keeping Your First Real Job (15 page)

RÉSUMÉ DON’TS

Let me offer a few words of advice about what to avoid—despite what the Office of Career Services at your school tells you.

Never offer an “objective.”
Your objective is to get the job you’re applying for, or a job you didn’t even know existed at that company. If you state that your objective is to “obtain an entry-level job in the marketing industry” and I have a job beyond entry level for which you might be qualified, I have every right to toss your résumé. Save the space for listing your experiences and achievements.

Do not include your GPA or SAT score.
If someone wants to know, let him ask—then look for another job. What does your GPA really say about you? If you were a high academic achiever, you have probably won awards; if your GPA is low or middle-of-the-road, it will only diminish your other achievements. A focus on grades will reveal only that you’re stuck in a high school mentality. One exception: for an academic job or a graduate school application, a GPA is meaningful and may even be required.

Do not say “references available upon request.”
Is there really another option? References
not
available upon request?

Do not include “leadership” as a category.
Though employers always look for self-starters, for many entry-level jobs the ability to follow and take direction is just as important. The term “leadership” may also appear juvenile; your position as captain of the squash team or chair of the student affairs committee will speak for itself.

Do not abuse the “action verb.”
Don’t use “performed” unless what you were performing was a play. You don’t need to “perform research” or “perform light office duties.” Just do them. Don’t write “served as assistant to the director.” Just be the assistant! Sure, you should try to use the most precise and active language you can, but not to the point of absurdity.

Do not quantify if you don’t really have enough to quantify.
If you have a specific number for an amount of money you helped raise or subscriptions you sold, fine—use the numbers. But don’t write “published one poem in school literary magazine.” “Poetry published in school literary magazine” is fine—or better yet, add a publications section and list the name of the poem and the date of publication.

Do not reveal height, weight, date of birth, health, or marital status.
Do not attach a photograph unless you’re applying for a modeling or acting job and need to submit a headshot.

Do not use acronyms unless they are well-known.
Explain all insider terms. Avoid abbreviations (with the exception of state names) if possible.

Show, don’t tell.
Do not use adjectives describing your own achievements (dynamic, efficient). The employer (and your references) will be the judge of that! If you “increased circulation from 10,000 to 100,000 subscriptions,” we assume you’re dynamic and efficient. If you “proofread copy to meet weekly deadlines,” we understand that you can work under pressure. If you were a “waitress in a 500-seat seaside tourist restaurant at high season,” this tells us more than if you write “efficient server at busy restaurant.”

Do not list Web addresses on your résumé.
I’m not looking—unless you’re a Web designer or wrote content and are applying for a job where that’s relevant.

Don’t leave too much white space.
Add and reorganize material or use a slightly larger font and wider margin to make sure the page looks filled.