More "What NOT To Do" Resume Tips

Based on "Funny job resumes: What not to list as experiences," written by the American Press on September 20, 2010.

1. Do not list God as a reference. Yes, I am sure He can attest to your greatest strenghts and weaknesses, but I'm not so sure that a hiring manager will see the humor in trying to call, email, text, or otherwise contact God. When listing references, choose to list real people. (Santa doesn't count, either. Sorry.)

2. Do not put a picture of yourself at the top of your resume or cover letter. Do not pose provocatlively for a picture to put at the top of your resume. Do not put someone else's picture on your resume. And do not put your cat's picture on your resume. Just don't put a picture on your resume. It does not help. Hiring managers will file it away...in the trash can.

3. While resumes DO need to be longer than one page, do NOT send in a 20+ page resume and expect someone to read it. Hiring managers spend 30-60 seconds reviewing your resume. That's all, unless they really like you right away.

4. I encourage you to list accomplishments in your employment and your education sections. However, use discretion when choosing what to list. Make sure the accomplishment is relevant to your skill set, shows leadership, or will help you make a connection with a particular hiring manager. For example, unless you are applying for a video game-related job, it is probably not a good idea to mention that you "won a frat house Nintendo championship" (Associated Press). However, if you led your golf team to win a national championship AND you know that a particular hiring manager is a golf fan, you may list it.


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