What should I leave out of my resume?

Jobseekers often ask what should I leave out of my resume? Some people are stuck on a minimal list view because they heard (and believe) the one page resume myth. Others are so afraid to leave out anything because that might be the one thing that gets them hired.

First, forget the one-page resume myth!

I haven't written a one-page resume in years. Most of my resumes are two or three pages depending on career level and path. You can't create an effective resume on one page without leaving out important components of the resume.

If you need an executive summary to shop around to networking contacts for interest levels, you create that after the resume is complete.

However, today LinkedIn is available to showcase you in a whole different way than ever before in job search history. Therefore, the one-page executive summary has less reason to exist. If someone inquires, you just point them to your LinkedIn profile.

This assumes you already built an outstanding LinkedIn profile. But you create that after you create the resume. Head back to the original question, what should I leave out of my resume?

What should I leave out of my resume?

Fear of being missed is what makes you put soup to nuts in your resume. You don't want them to pass you by for the job you want. Resume writing is all about prioritizing and tailoring your resume for the right role. Your first step is to determine the direction of your resume. Determine where you are going to get to the result.

At times, we create additional resumes to propel the job seeker to their goal.

To do that, we may do one of two things. We may create a master resume, a sort of soup-to-nuts, all-inclusive resume that we would never send to anyone. Then we take parts of that master and customize it for the right roles. This strategy can be good for someone in a field that includes specialty areas but they have performed in multiple areas.

How to create the second resume version

The more common way we create additional resumes is to determine the strategic direction for their top goal and write that resume. After that is complete, we create a second resume targeting the other direction but using most of the existing resume. I have done that multiple times for people in executive technology roles where they could perhaps be a VP of Technology, VP of Operations, or VP of Technology Sales.

The right strategy for you is the one that hits your top goals. Remember you need to be selective in your job search so the reader understands that you do the right talent for the job. If you try for anything that looks remotely close, you apply for too many jobs.

My winning clients understand the critical issue of targeting in your job search.

Land your dream job! I help job seekers via interactive and personalized strategic coaching sessions to land their ideal job and achieve career happiness. Find out how to create your resume writing and job search solution here!