Doesn't mean you have to spill your guts.
A resume is designed to offer potential employers a selective representation of your experience, while the interview gives you a chance to expand on the snapshot of qualifications that a resume provides.
However, there are accepted guidelines on what should be included in a resume or discussed during an interview.
In most cases, personal information such as age, marital status or ethnicity has no place in a resume or interview.
In fact, interviewers rarely have a right to any of this information. There are exceptions, of course. If you're applying to be a runway model, it's understandable that a photo and your height, weight and measurements may be required. However, the average resume should never include such personal details.
Here are a few ideas to help you avoid getting "too personal":
Resume tips
Just the facts: Other than your name, address, e-mail address and a phone number, prospective employers usually aren't interested in sifting through superfluous identifying information to root out pertinent qualifications.
Most interviewers have a stack of resumes to pore over for a single job opening. Showcasing your qualifications -- and not burying them among mounds of minutia -- is essential.
Protect personal information: Omitting personal information from your resume also acts as a safeguard for you. You should never include birthdays or Social Security numbers on your resume, especially if you are posting a resume with an online job site.
Since identity theft is one of the fastest-growing criminal segments today, the less you expose your ID numbers and personal data, the better. Once the information is out there, there's no getting it back.
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Don't tell your life story: While you want a resume to illustrate the breadth of your experience, it doesn't necessarily have to go into the depths of all your experience. In other words, you don't have to mention every position you've held since you were 16 and baby-sat for your neighbor's kids.
Join the club -- just don't mention it: Your resume doesn't need a section for "Personal Information" that lists hobbies or clubs to which you belong -- unless they pertain to the position for which you are applying.
At the interview
Tell me about yourself: This seemingly harmless request can be an invitation to disaster if you babble on too much about yourself and divulge details a prospective employer neither wants nor needs to hear.
This is not the time to tell someone you are a divorced mother of two teenagers. Focus on your professional experience and accomplishments. Make sure you pick up on your interviewer's cues.
If he or she seems interested in a particular area of expertise, go ahead and expand on how you helped your former employer. But once the interviewer moves on, don't harp on the issue. Take the hint and resist the temptation to keep talking.
Put a positive spin on unfortunate events: The interview is not the time to dish the dirt on your former employer and the details about why you left. Keep it brief. Saying, "I was ready to make a move to attain professional growth," sounds a lot better than "I repeatedly was passed over for promotions so I told them I'm out of here!"
Don't be your worst enemy: We're often harder on ourselves than anyone else would be. (For example, how many people actually like how they look in pictures?)
While employers value honesty, don't belittle yourself by trumpeting shortcomings or revealing the other companies that, despite granting you an interview, haven't offered a job. |
