How to Declutter a Resume In 3 Steps

When preparing for any job search, candidates would be dusting off their previous resume and adding their most recent job along with new skills and training. If the resume is not often uncluttered, it might end up looking like a list of outdated achievements and information. The steps below can be followed to effectively unclutter a resume.

Step 1: Narrow Your Career Goal

The first step is applying for a job is to determine the career goal sought. Recruiters are often frustrated by resumes which do not seem to go in line with what the company has advertised. A solution to this would be to create alternative resume each targeting a particular industry or a particular job type in order to ensure relevance with the job applied for.

Step 2: Condense Your Opening Summary

Every resume needs a summary in order to provide a general idea on the career level and achievements of the candidate. However, this summary would need to be short and to the point. The content featured on top would need to be compelling enough to make the recruiter want to continue reading the resume.

Step 3: Edit Work Experience

For professionals having over 10 to 15 years of experience, it might be more appealing to summarize the most outdated experiences rather than elaborating on them. Early career, though being important, becomes quite redundant after a decade. Young professionals who are just starting out might also consider leaving out details pertaining to experiences in retail stores or during holidays where these are not relevant to the post applied for.