Delete These 6 Things From Your Resume Now

Recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds looking at your resume.

They are not reading; they are skimming. They are looking for reasons to say "No" so they can get through their pile faster.

If your resume is cluttered with outdated trends from 2010, you look out of touch. If you include unnecessary fluff, you hide your actual achievements.

To survive the 6-second scan, you need to be ruthless. Open your resume right now and check for these 6 "Red Flags." If you find them, hit delete.

1. The "Career Objective" (It’s Not 1995)

• The Red Flag: "To obtain a challenging position in a reputable organization where I can utilize my skills..."
• Why Delete It: It is selfish fluff. The recruiter knows you want a job; that’s why you applied. They don't care what you want; they care what you can do for them.
• Replace With: A "Professional Summary." A 2-sentence pitch of your experience and value. "Data Scientist with 5+ years of experience building predictive models for Fintech startups..."

2. Your Full Home Address

• The Red Flag: 123, 4th Cross, Green Park Society, Mg Road, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560001.
• Why Delete It: It’s a security risk (identity theft) and a bias trigger. If you live far from the office, a recruiter might reject you thinking, "The commute is too long, they will quit."
• Replace With: Just "City, State" (e.g., "Bangalore, Karnataka"). That is all they need to know.

3. "References Available Upon Request"

• The Red Flag: Putting this phrase at the bottom of the page.
• Why Delete It: It is obvious. If they want references, they will ask. You are wasting valuable white space that could be used for a skill or a certification.
• Replace With: Nothing. Delete the line entirely.

4. Skill Bars and Ratings (The 4/5 Stars)

• The Red Flag: Graphical bars showing you are "80% proficient" in Python or "4/5 stars" in Leadership.
• Why Delete It:
  1. ATS Issues: Robots can't read graphics.
  2. It’s Subjective: What does "80% Leadership" mean? Did you lead 80% of a team? It makes you look unsure of your skills.
• Replace With: A simple text list. "Skills: Python, Java, SQL, Leadership."

5. The Phrase "Responsible For..."

• The Red Flag: "Responsible for sales," "Responsible for managing the team."
• Why Delete It: Being "responsible" for something doesn't mean you were good at it. It sounds passive and boring (like a job description).
• Replace With: Action Verbs. Use words like Led, Created, Increased, Saved, Launched.
  • Better: "Increased sales by 20%..."

6. Your Photo (Usually)

• The Red Flag: Including a headshot in the corner.
• Why Delete It: In the US, UK, and most MNCs, this is an automatic rejection due to anti-discrimination laws. In India, it is becoming less common. Unless you are an actor or model, your face doesn't tell them if you can code or sell. It also eats up space and confuses the ATS.
• Replace With: Your LinkedIn URL. If they want to see what you look like, they will click it.

The Golden Rule: "So What?"

For every line on your resume, ask yourself: "So what?"

• "I enjoy cricket." -> So what? Does that help you code? Delete.
• "I won the Regional Sales Award." -> So what? It proves you are a top performer. Keep.

Less is more. A clean, relevant 1-page resume beats a cluttered 3-page biography every time.

Run your new, leaner resume through the JobPe Resume Scanner to see if it passes the 6-second test.

Debojyoti Roy

Creative Content Writer

Debojyoti Roy is a skilled content expert with more than six years of experience in the digital marketing field. He channels this expertise into a subject he is passionate about: the world of careers and job searching. His primary work involves creating clear and helpful content that guides people through the important journey of finding a job. He plays a key role at JobPe, a growing company that ...

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