What to Take Off Your Resume: 6 Things to Cut

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There’s a lot of conflicting information out there on what should be included on your resume to help you stand out from the crowd.

Keep it to one page (according to some). Always include a summary (according to some). Showing no gaps in employment is important (...yep, according to some). The point is that different sources say different things, even in the same industry.

This often leads to a cycle of canned, buzzword-heavy job descriptions and boring, canned resumes created by job seekers. But it turns out that this stressful, frustrating grind is totally avoidable. So, what can you leave off your resume? And what should you absolutely include?!

To start, write down the keywords from the job description you’re interested in. Pay close attention to the order of these words—you’ll see the skills and experience that are most important to the company for this position will often be listed first. These keywords will also help you get past an applicant tracking system. 

Then, look through your resume and highlight the relevant experience that matches. If you find that there aren’t many matches, it may be that this job isn’t right for you. If there are many matches, it’s time to tailor your history to best show how you’re the person for the job. 

Table of Contents

Here are some suggestions for what to cut, and why. And for good measure, we also include some things you 100% want to include on your resume.

The Rules of the Resume

Resumes are still one of the most important documents in the job application process.

Whether you apply online or via networking, there is a very good chance you will be asked to send your resume to the hiring team so they can view your qualifications. We also know that the attention spans of recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals are dwindling.

That means you have the challenging job of creating a document that highlights why you're perfect for the role in a concise, clear, and consistent way. Easier said than done during your job search. 

Should You Stick to the One-Page Rule?

We follow a "one-page rule" with resumes for this very reason. By sticking to one page, you will be forced only to include the most important and relevant information for the hiring team. The only exception to this rule and where we'd advise you to expand to two pages, includes working in academia, like a Ph.D. or for professionals with 15+ years of work experience.

How Many Skills Should I Include in My Resume?

As a recruiter, I’d rather see a few specific skills (like 5-10) that are super relevant to the job I’m hiring for, than a long list of general skills used throughout your career that aren't all relevant to the job. People tend to think that more is better, but all you're doing is creating more work for me. This advice spans across the different resume formats: a functional resume, reverse-chronological order resumes, and combination resumes.

When you include a long list of general skills, I cannot quickly understand your expertise. With most recruiters skimming a resume in 10 seconds or less, you've lost the opportunity to stand out. So, make your resume laser-focused and targeted to the specific job and company you're applying to!

1. Cut: Information That Doesn’t Have Anything To Do With The Job Description You’re Responding To

If an item on a previous job’s bulleted list has no relevant connection to the job you are trying to land, let it go. It’s not that all of your previous achievements don’t matter at all, it’s that certain accomplishments will resonate better with certain positions. Remove any information you've listed in your bullet points under your resume work experience section that can't be connected to what the new job is looking for.

Additionally, we would recommend cutting any information that only tells us about your responsibilities vs. your accomplishments in a role. Many people will copy/paste from the job description to create their bullet points but that only tells me what you do—not how you do it, the results you got, etc.

Instead, Use That Extra Space Strategically

Cutting irrelevant bullet points from past jobs means that you can expand on jobs that do matter. Make it a priority to focus on those experiences first and foremost.

Start by selecting only the past jobs that are relevant to the job you're applying for now. Next, review each bullet point and see if you can include keywords from the new job posting or at least connect the bullet point to the skills needed for the new role. When you write your bullet points, lead with an action verb and illustrate your achievements with facts and details.

For example, if you have a bullet point that says "Experienced in project management" and the new job is looking for someone to "Identify project issues or resource gaps and facilitate resolution" then you might edit your bullet point to this:

2. Cut: An Objective Statement That Isn't Customized To The Job

The resume objective is a section that usually appears above your skills and work experience, which usually starts “Seeking to work in a team-driven environment and add value to the company” and the predictability of this standard can be a disservice to clearly describing what you really bring to the table. Jenny Foss, a career strategist and recruiter, writes that most objective sections and resume headlines say nothing—and that's because they aren't customized to the specific job. 

Instead, Include An "About Me" Or Summary Statement Section

Long story short, a resume objective looks to the future, while a resume summary highlights past achievements. However, whichever one you choose to include, they should both be tailored to the role you are applying for, referencing keywords in the job posting. They are also both listed at the top of your resume.

Remember that what you’re looking for when you’re looking for work is a good fit, not to sell yourself to a company that won’t appreciate you for who you are. There is nothing more damaging than having to play a farce every day when you walk into work. Everyone is seeking to be gainfully employed at a place that resonates with your values. Here's a career summary example: 

Pro tip: if it feels canned when you write it, remove it. Look at what you’re trying to say from another angle. 

3. Cut: Old Or Irrelevant Job History

If you have very little job history because you’re just starting out, you may elect to include your whole work history, but make sure that the skills you used at each position clearly relate to the job description.

Instead, Choose an Angle

Rather than listing out your work history in reverse chronological order like a ticker tape of boredom, angle each job listing toward the skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Tailor your resume’s contents to the job by showing how working at that coffee shop gave you swift cash handling skills and demonstrated a high level of trust from management. For each previous job, ask yourself why the hiring manager that will read your resume should care.

A great formatting tip we recommend that can be especially helpful when you're listing your work history out of order is using headers. Here's an example of how you would format your work experience section:

The headers that you include help you showcase the angle of your work experience right away for recruiters. And it puts less focus on when you had the job vs. the skills you learned in that job.

4. Cut: Redundancy

If you have five positions where you scheduled appointments, it’s not necessary to elaborate on all five of those positions. Make sure that each piece of experience highlights what you did best or the most unique aspects of your responsibilities and clearly demonstrates value that will translate to the new job. 

Instead, Focus on Quality

Rather than focusing on the number of jobs you've had—or quantity—focus on quality. The recruiter would rather see fewer positions listed but have the ones you do list be deeply considered, well-crafted evidence of your being a perfect fit for the job. Focus on the quality of each piece of information before you worry about the quantity. Once you feel good about the quality, go back and see what you could still cut out.

Most importantly, remember that there is a great position out there for you, that will fit your experience, your needs, and your temperament. Keep refining, and don’t give up! 

5. Cut: Your Headshot

Unless the job description specifically asks for a headshot, do not include one on your resume. Not only does it take up valuable resume real estate, but it's also a very outdated practice. The only place we like to see a professional headshot is with your LinkedIn profile.

Instead, Use the Space for More Skills or Add a Relevant Section 

Use this important real estate for something recruiters will value. Options include expanding your skills section with things like communication skills, time management skills, and/or technical skills. Another option is adding a unique but relevant resume section to your resume template.

Some ideas include highlighting your personal website and/or blog, relevant coursework, publications, etc. The goal here is only to include the section if it would bring value to the person reading your resume.

6. Cut: Resume Fonts That Make It Harder to Skim Your Resume

Some fonts make it harder to read the information on the page. Naturally, we want to stay away from those. But did you also know that applicant tracking systems can't read fancy fonts? Additionally, please don't try to fit more information onto your one-page resume by making your font size so small a recruiter can barely read it. We know that trick and we don't appreciate it either.

Instead, Stick To Resume Fonts That Are Readable

There's an easy fix here and that's to stick with resume fonts that are easy to read. You have more options than just Times New Roman, too!

6 Things to Keep On Your Resume

So, what exactly should you keep on your resume? The traditional things include your contact info, work history, and education. But what about showcasing your skills or sharing your career goals? And if you're making a career change, how do you communicate that?

One of the challenges with resumes is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, however, there are a few things recruiters love to see that can help you stand out. Here are six things to definitely keep (or add!) to your resume. 

1. Keep: A Strong Resume Objective Or Summary

We explained the difference between a resume objective and a summary above. Regardless of which one is a better fit for your career goals, we recommend keeping one on your resume.

These can be especially helpful when you're looking to explain any career gaps, career transitions, or extended time off. Plus, since you're going to tailor this statement to be relevant to the specific job and company you're applying to, you integrate some of the keywords they used in the actual job posting. 

With more and more people changing jobs recently, recruiters are using these statements to fill in any questions they have about why the person is applying for this role.

2. Keep: Volunteer Work, Internships + Related Experience 

Especially if you're entry-level, returning to work, or trying to explain a career gap, you might have work experience that's less traditional like in the form of volunteer work, internships, freelance work, etc. You will definitely want to include that experience on your resume and even t create bullet points that illustrate your achievements and skills.

Entry-level resumes don't always have the benefit of formal work experience, but recruiters are expecting to see your internships. If you've been out of school for several years, skip featuring internships and instead include related experiences that are more recent.

3. Keep: A Skills Section 

We LOVE a skills section! The old rule of thumb was to work your skills into your bullet points in your work experience section, however, when a recruiter is scanning your resume in just a few seconds, it's actually better to highlight these on their own.

You can even organize your skills section into groups like soft skills, hard skills, technical skills, or even a section that's relevant to the job you're applying to. For example, if you're applying to be a project manager, you might create a section called "project manager skills" or "project management software" and list specific items. 

Be sure to check the job posting to see what skills the company is looking for. Those are the keywords or key skills you will definitely want to include on your resume.

4. Keep: Bullet Points Whenever Possible

Remember how we said recruiters will spend just a few seconds scanning your resume?!

That's why bullet points are so important. They visually direct the recruiter to your work experience quickly. This is also why it's important for you to write strong bullet points that catch our attention with action verbs and power words.

Why Bullet Points?

Think of it this way—would you rather read a one-page document that uses bullet points to explain the important details or long paragraphs of text? Scanning bullet points will always be faster. Use them with each work experience you list on your resume.

5. Keep: Certifications + Related Coursework 

Your resume education section isn't just limited to your formal degrees! Include any relevant certifications you've earned and related coursework you've completed. This can include online learning, executive education, workshops you've attended, or certifications from a specific software company. For example, a Google Analytics certificate.

Your goal here is to showcase your professional development efforts. If you're trying to fill a skills gap, the additional courses will show that you're actively working on skills development. 

6. Keep: Links to Tour Cover Letter, Portfolio, And LinkedIn Profile

Including links to the other job search documents that tell your story helps give us a better look at your full experience. And with almost all resumes being digital these days, the links are easy to access. The goal here is that you don't want all of these links to be carbon copies of your resume.

Your resume is a tailored snapshot of what you've done that is relevant to the specific job and company you're applying to. Your LinkedIn profile, cover letter, and online portfolio can be a bit more general but still tell a consistent story. It shouldn't feel like the online portfolio belongs to a different person.