Over the years your resume will grow as you add skills, knowledge and experience. It will likely also accumulate items that you no longer need. Spend some time spring cleaning your resume to give potential employers a clearer
picture of what you can do for them.
Out with the Old
A good rule of thumb for your work experience section is to go back no further than 10 years or 3-4 positions. Going back further than that will usually add too much length to your resume, without adding anything new or relevant in terms of experience.
Get to the Point
A seasoned recruiter can spot unnecessary fluff in a resume. Try to stay achievement focused in order to keep vague, empty statements out. Keep in mind it is better to demonstrate or give examples of your accomplishments than to tell an employer you have a characteristic. For example, it is better to demonstrate you have great written communication skills through your use of language in a resume, than it is to say you have great communication skills.
Off-topic
Does a piece of experience, an award, or a skill stand out to you as having nothing to do with your current objective? It might be time to remove it or give it the context it needs to support your goals. For example, your time as an intern at a printing company might not seem relevant until you highlight parts of that experience that relate to the current position to which you are applying. If you can’t make it relate, leave it out.
Repetition
Check your resume for repeated information. Whether you are using the same words over and over, or if you are repeating the same information; both will make your resume long and uninteresting. Search for verb lists or use an online thesaurus to keep your choice of words varied and interesting. If you have similar job duties at each position you’ve worked, vary the information by once again focusing on your accomplishments instead of your responsibilities at each job. Never cut and paste the exact same bullet points from one position to the other. It is a waste of time and space to include the same experience in the same format.
Templated or Generic Statements
If you’ve used a template or looked online for resume help, you may have found some useful phrases for your objective statement or bulleted lists. Avoid using these vague, general phrases. Chances are that many other candidates will have already used them as well, and they will not help you differentiate yourself. Be specific and individual if you want to separate yourself from the pack.
Extra Words
Check your bullet points and statements for extra words. As you review each phrase, check for any words that can be left out. Make each word fight to stay in. Common words that can and should be left out are articles (a, an, the), first-person references (I, me, we, us), the company name (it is in the heading of each listing in your experience and doesn’t need to be included in each bullet point).