Engineers: here’s what NOT to write on your CV

Often we are told what to include in our engineering CV, but rarely we get advice on what not to include …

When the time comes to hire someone, some recruiters can sift through hundreds of resumes. How do you get yours to grab their attention? It turns out that the secret to a good CV is not just what to put in it, but also what to exclude! Here is a list of 11 things not to write on your resume.

Private information

In Quebec, it is illegal for an employer to ask you for private information such as your ethnic origin, or your religion. So, if you include such information in your CV, you will appear unprofessional and it may hurt your chances of getting a job.

Your home phone number

If you still have a landline, it is not advisable to include it in your CV. Indeed, it is better to include your mobile number, to make sure you can be reached at all times. Otherwise, you could miss a very important call!

Salary

Don’t include your salary expectations or the salary you earn at your current job on your resume. It will leave the impression that you are a demanding person, and it is not a characteristic that one wants to see stuck with you when it comes time to find a job. The salary is only determined when you are made a formal offer.

Too long job descriptions

When presenting your past jobs and experiences, avoid descriptions that are too long or too detailed. This considerably weighs down your CV and leaves the impression that you lack the spirit of synthesis.

A photo

By adding your portrait to your resume, you waste space to write the rest, and you give the impression that you want to sell your looks instead of your skills. And then, a recruiter can always visit your LinkedIn profile if they want to see you up.

Old email addresses

Nothing can seem less professional than an email address like ballon10@hotmail.com. Create an address that contains your name.

Your old  jobs of adolescence

Avoid including your old student jobs in the work experience section of your resume. These jobs are generally irrelevant if you are applying for a more professional job.

English mistakes

Spelling or grammar mistakes can very easily make you look bad. So it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have your CV go through Antidote before applying for a job.

References

Recruiters rarely call for references when the time comes to hire someone. Adding them to your resume can also seem like you’re trying to make up for a lack of experience. Only provide references to a recruiter if they ask you to.

Multiple pages

When they receive a lot of resumes, recruiters consult each one very quickly. Having multiple pages makes it harder to read, and a recruiter could miss out on many of your great assets. You will therefore have to show a spirit of synthesis and creativity in order to display everything on as few pages as possible.

Objectives

Objectives appear to a recruiter as information added to fill in the gaps. They are no help for a CV. Instead, save this information for your interview.