When creating a resume, our initial Google search is commonly around what to include to make you stand out in a pool of candidates. However, do we ever stop to consider what not to include? The truth is, hiring managers and recruiters do not always have the time to review each person’s resume in its entirety – Because of this, they typically skim, looking for key words outlining specific experience, success or achievement. In order to grab the attention of your audience, you should carefully craft the content of your resume and remove the fluff. Here are 10 things you should remove from your resume and why.

When interviewing you want to present your best self and that includes showcasing your strengths. For some people talking about their strengths or achievements may not come naturally and even feel a little uncomfortable. That’s why it’s important to prepare and possibly even practice ahead of time. Take time to contemplate what areas you excel at and think about specific examples to illustrate your strengths and achievements. If you are not sure where to begin, we recommend starting with SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis and focusing on the strengths. Some questions you can ask yourself are:

You’ve applied for a job and landed an interview - great! You’ve also researched the company’s background and gone through your checklist for interview prep. There is a fair amount of guidance on what to say in interviews, but not as much on what to avoid saying. Some of this may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how often common sense is not so common. We’ll also look at some other interview do’s and don’ts.

January 1st marks for many a fresh start. We create our New Year’s resolutions to eat better, workout more, and for some improve or change jobs. Regardless if you are thinking of finding a new role, or even switching career fields, it’s a good time to reflect and think about what goals you have with your career in the upcoming year.

When looking for a new job in addition to updating your resume and reaching out to a recruiter, another critical step is updating your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is a tool both those employed and unemployed should update and check regularly. You can make these changes easily in a day and it will be one of the most important things you can do to further your career and set yourself up for success when job hunting.