25+ Things Not to Include in a Resume

Many candidates lose opportunities not because they lack experience, but because their resume is cluttered with irrelevant, outdated, or even risky details. From unnecessary personal information to overused clichés, small mistakes can make your application less effective without you realizing it.

To help you avoid these errors, let's look at exactly what not to include on a resume and how to keep your content focused, relevant, and impactful.

28 things to leave off your resume

Your resume should only include information that strengthens your application. Irrelevant details can hinder your chances of success by taking away from your talents and experience. Let’s take a look at the various details you can skip:

Personal information and contact details to leave out

Including too much personal information on your resume can work against you. Employers are primarily interested in your skills and experience, not details that could introduce bias or distract from your qualifications.

1. Unnecessary personal information

It’s against the law for employers to ask for personal information that might cause them to either intentionally or unintentionally discriminate against a job candidate. If you do include it, the employer might automatically discard your application to avoid any potential claims of discrimination. As such, the following personal details generally do not belong on your resume:

However, if you are applying for a role where one of these details is directly relevant, you can include it. For example, if you are applying to be a school bus driver, you may need to show that you have a valid driver’s license.

Another exception is when applying for jobs in countries where including certain personal details is customary.

2. Your full address

You don’t need to include your full street address. Listing your city and country is enough. A full address takes up space and may raise privacy concerns. Using professional resume templates can help ensure your layout is clean, consistent, and easy to read.

3. Headshot or photo of yourself

It's not necessary to include a photo of yourself on your resume. A photo could reveal your gender, approximate age, nationality, and physical appearance and could potentially cause an employer to automatically discard your application. Additionally, a photo takes up a lot of valuable real estate on your resume.

4. Sensitive or controversial affiliations 

Religious beliefs, political views, and other sensitive affiliations are not relevant to most roles and should be left off your resume. Including them can introduce unconscious bias and distract from your qualifications. If a recruiter disagrees with your views, it may influence their perception of your application — even unintentionally.

However, there are exceptions. If you are applying for a role where your background is directly relevant (for example, a political campaign or a religious organisation), it may be appropriate to include it. Use your discretion based on the role.

5. Outdated or irrelevant social media links 

When you’re applying for an admin job, the recruiter doesn’t need to see your Instagram feed dedicated to baking. If your social media accounts are private, fun, and have nothing to do with the role, you should leave them off your resume. 

6. Unprofessional email addresses (or Multiple Phone Numbers)

Use a simple, professional email address (e.g. firstname.lastname@example.com). Avoid listing multiple contact numbers unless necessary, as it can create confusion.

Additionally, you should only include one phone number on your resume. Often enough, your cell number is sufficient here. 

Layout, design, and formatting mistakes

Resumes are a visual medium. You want it to look attractive to entice the recruiter to read it. To make sure you get that right, there are some major things you need to leave out.

7. Solid blocks of text

Since employers will likely only spend about 8 seconds looking at your resume initially, it’s a good idea to make it scannable and easy to read by avoiding huge blocks of text. Instead, use bullet points and headings/subheadings to break up the text and try to be as succinct as possible. 

Our resume templates make it easy to include all of your pertinent information while maintaining an attractive design.

8. Charts or graphics 

While it might seem like a good idea to break up the text on your resume by including a chart or graphic, it will likely get distorted format-wise or even left off if your resume passes through an applicant tracking system (ATS) scan. 

It doesn’t end there. Potential employers will likely want to see that you can succinctly outline your qualifications in writing without relying on charts or visuals. Keep things simple. 

9. ATS-unfriendly layouts 

Not all layouts are created equal. Applicant tracking systems can’t typically parse multi-column layouts, embedded text boxes, or icon-heavy designs.

10. Tiny fonts and micro-margins

Readability should be your top priority when creating your resume. If your content is difficult to read, recruiters are likely to move on quickly.

11. Signature or sign-off

Does a resume need a signature? The short answer is no. Including any form of sign-off looks outdated and shows you don’t understand the modern application rules. Leave it off. 

Formatting your resume doesn’t have to be hard. Jobseeker’s resume builder makes the entire process a cinch. Avoid the most common errors automatically. Choose a template to get started now.

12. File-naming and format errors

How you name your resume matters more than you might expect. Spelling mistakes or additional details can make you look unprofessional. 

For example, “SamSmithResume_V5” tells the recruiter that you’ve edited the document five times. That’s information they don’t need. Keep it clean and simple with your full name and the word “resume” after it.

13. Signature or sign-off

Does a resume need a signature? The short answer is no. Including any form of sign-off looks outdated and shows you don’t understand the modern application rules. Leave it off. 

Formatting your resume doesn’t have to be hard. Jobseeker’s resume builder makes the entire process a cinch. Avoid the most common errors automatically. Choose a template to get started now.

Outdated or Irrelevant Information

Next up, let’s talk about the outdated information you don’t need to include on your resume. Filling up valuable space with details the recruiter doesn’t need is a mistake.

14. Too much information

Pare down your resume information to only the most relevant details in order to help you avoid that wall of text. For instance, when writing about the roles you’ve held, avoid large paragraphs. 

Limit yourself to 3-5 short bullet points under each job that you list. Focus on highlighting your quantifiable accomplishments and achievements rather than simply listing your job duties.

15. Your entire job history

You don’t have to list every job you’ve ever held. The recruiter doesn’t need to know about your first part-time role at Starbucks when you’re applying as a PR executive. 

If you have been in the workforce for 20 years and worked many different jobs, you don’t need to include every single job you’ve ever had.

Include only the positions that are in the same industry as your target position or those that demonstrate transferable skills or experience.

16. Outdated or irrelevant certifications 

The right professional certifications instantly increase your chances of success. However, if the certificates are out of date or no longer relevant, they could harm your next application. Avoid including certificates that don’t align with the role.

17. High school education or GPA

If you have a college degree, your high school education and CTA are no longer entirely relevant. Worse still, they can take up space that you can use for more valuable details.

Instead, add your college degree, or degrees, in this section. The fact that you’ve reached this level should be enough to show your education prowess.

18. References 

There’s no need to include your references on your resume or to write ‘references available upon request.’ References take up a lot of valuable resume space, and employers know that they can ask you for them.

19. Reasons for leaving past jobs

You don’t need to justify or provide reasons for why you left your past positions. It’s not relevant to the new position and it can come off as if you are providing excuses, which isn’t necessarily flattering. Plus, it just takes up space on your resume.

20. Past salary information

Avoid listing your previous and/or current salary information on your resume. Including accurate salary information could result in potential employers presenting low-ball offers. Plus, exaggerating your earnings falls under the previous section of lying on your resume. 

It’s best just to leave this information off your resume and negotiate your salary if/when you are offered the new position.

Language and Writing Style Issues

It’s not only what you say. It’s the way that you say it. When writing your resume, there are some language pitfalls you definitely want to avoid. Let’s talk about the ones you should leave out.

21. Spelling or grammar mistakes

There’s nothing more unprofessional than spelling or grammar mistakes on a resume. Do your very best to avoid them by proofreading your resume thoroughly or having a friend or family member look over it for you. 

Don’t rely on spell-check programs alone, as they might not pick up some errors. It can be easier to find mistakes when you print out your resume and read the physical copy, as you can point a pen at each word to help yourself focus.

22. Passive language

Passive language can make your resume seem unexceptional or even boring, so it’s best to use action words to catch a potential employer’s attention and impress them with your experience and accomplishments. 

For example, instead of listing “revenue growth of 25% was achieved” as a bullet point under one of your past positions, write something like “consistently exceeded revenue projections and grew revenue by 25% over 1 year.”

Here are a few examples of great bullet points with active language:

23. First-person pronouns and "I" statements

Generally, the accepted method for resume writing is absent first person, in which all pronouns (I, me, we, etc.) are dropped from sentences and bullet points. 

Dropping these pronouns allows you to write more succinctly and therefore include more information overall. It’s also stylistically appropriate for a resume and easier to scan. 

So, for example, you might write “3-time Employee of the Month” instead of “I was the Employee of the Month 3 times.”

23. Too many keywords or buzzwords

You want to make sure your resume is ATS-friendly, and you know keywords help. However, cramming the page full of keywords and not much else is a mistake. You should not repeat the keywords more than one or two times at most. 

Similarly, cheesy buzzwords need to be retired from your resume. Here are some examples: 

Quit using clichés to try and prove your worth. Instead, you can use tangible metrics, such as “increased sales by 20%” or  “managed a budget of $40K” to show off your acumen. 

24. Company-specific jargon and unexplained acronyms

If your resume looks like alphabet soup, that’s a problem. Acronyms can be a road-block when they aren’t widely used. A recruiter or hiring manager might not be an expert in your specific field, and if they don't recognize the terms, they’re unlikely to look them up. 

The same goes for company-specific jargon. If someone outside of your business, or even industry, wouldn’t be familiar with a term, you should simplify it. The idea is to remove any obstacles for the reader and make sure your resume is as accessible as can be. 

25. Vague or meaningless metrics

Including numbers on your resume can strengthen your impact but only if they show meaningful results. Metrics that lack context don’t tell the recruiter anything valuable.

Professionalism, tone, and honesty

How you come across on your resume tells the recruiter a whole lot about you as a professional. It’s important to watch your tone and be 100% honest on any application. 

26. Negative comments about former employers

Keep the tone of your resume positive by avoiding making any negative comments about your previous positions or employers. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of your experience by highlighting your skills and achievements. 

You might mention how you overcame certain challenges in a past role, but writing negatively about another business will likely not reflect well on you.

27. Generic, untailored resumes

Sending out untailored resumes? This is your sign to stop. To increase your chances of landing an interview, always tailor your resume to the job for which you’re applying. Read the job description carefully and consider how your background and experience align. As a starting point, check out our collection of resume examples created specifically for your job title or industry.

28. False or misleading information

It can also be tempting to stretch the truth, exaggerate your qualifications, or flat-out lie on your resume. However, many employers will attempt to verify your skills and experience. 

Being caught in a lie can result in not getting hired for the job, getting fired if you’ve already been hired when the lie is discovered, and permanent damage to your reputation.

You should also strategically edit your CV and your cover letter to position your most relevant experience front and center. You can also review cover letter examples to see how to structure your message effectively.

What should a resume include?

Writing a winning resume means knowing what to include, as well as what not to include. Your resume should consist of the following:

You can also include optional sections, such as languages, hobbies and interests, and certifications. You can also explore our career resources for more tips on improving your job applications.

Final thoughts on what not to include on your resume

Avoiding common resume mistakes can significantly improve your chances of getting noticed. Focus on including relevant information, keeping your resume clear and easy to read, and presenting your experience in a results-driven way.

A well-structured, tailored resume helps recruiters quickly understand your value and increases your chances of moving forward in the hiring process. Don’t forget to pair your resume with a strong cover letter to present a complete application.

Create a clean, professional, and ATS-friendly resume in minutes with Jobseeker’s resume builder and start applying with confidence.

(1) www.hrdive.com/news/eye-tracking-study-shows-recruiters-look-at-resumes-for-7-seconds/541582