Decades’ worth of advice for creating resumes is available for any curious job-seeker. The problem is that, because resume advice has circulated for decades, much of it is outdated. When it comes to creating a resume, tradition isn’t always the best source of wisdom.

Here are five things that should come off your resume – no matter how many classic advice lists tell you to leave them in.

What Should You Not Put on Your Resume Anymore?

A Statement of Your Objective

The “objective” section once served as a summary of a candidate’s goals. While useful for job-seekers, this information doesn’t help hiring managers.

Instead of an “objective,” include a brief summary of your top skills. This summary helps hiring managers see at a glance whether you’re the kind of person they want to interview for the role.

Outdated or Irrelevant Job Positions

It’s tempting to list every job you’ve ever held, whether or not it’s directly related to the one you’re applying for. Doing so, however, risks cluttering up your resume and burying your most valuable skills and experiences.

You can safely remove any work that doesn’t directly relate to the job, as well as any position you held more than ten to fifteen years ago. If you want to discuss these, mention one briefly in your cover letter, or bring it up in the interview.

An Unprofessional Email Address

When email was new, simply having an email address was impressive. Today, however, nearly everyone has at least one email address, and an email account is easier than ever to create. There is no excuse for an unprofessional or silly one.

Save unprofessional email handles like “ShrimpBuffetLover@email” for your personal correspondence, and set up an email address like “Joan.Jobseeker@email” for your professional work.

Any Photographs of Yourself

In some parts of the world, a professional headshot is expected with a resume. In the United States, however, a photograph poses risks. It provides information that can be used for illegal discrimination in the job search, and it’s simply not necessary.

Remove photographs of yourself from all application materials. The only exception is if you are applying for a job where a professional headshot is required, such as an acting or modeling role.

“References Available Upon Request”

The line “references available upon request” wastes valuable space on your resume. Employers know they can ask you for your references – in fact, many do in the initial application. Use this space to share more information about your achievements instead.

Ready to Update Your Resume?

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