Resume Don’ts – Job Hunting Made Easy

Writing your Resume

When you are job hunting, how you present your Curriculum Vitae or resume, very much depends on where you live in the world. In the United States, people seem to keep their resumes down to two sides of one page. While in New Zealand and Australia you can get away with three or four pages, especially if you are a senior manager with a long work history.

Most people know to keep their marital status, religious and political affiliations off their C.V. You also don’t need to disclose your age, although the dates that you went to school and started your first job will give it away. I would recommend that you don’t include a photograph. You don’t want your potential employer distracted by a less than professional photograph, or to be remembered for the haircut that you had five years ago.

Keep your interests current and neutral. Don’t put basket ball is your passion if you haven’t played for over a decade. Also, activities such as medieval fantasy gaming and working at political rallies are probably best kept off the list unless they are directly connected with the role that you are applying for. If you find this suggestion offensive, remember that job hunting is a marketing exercise and you need to connect with your audience and what they are interested in.

In short, keep it simple and resist the urge to add frilly bits. As always, good luck with your job hunting project and I hope you interview like a pro

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