Resume Mistake: Too Much Information

Let’s say you’re a headhunter, and you’ve just received a CV that includes a paragraph like this:

In my spare time, I am physically active.  I run, mountain bike, play tennis, and I teach yoga on weekends.  Physical activity keeps my body and mind in shape, and promotes balance and clarity in my life. I belong to a community theater and am active in productions, and I play bass in a band. I’m an avid reader. I am a mother of two and gave birth to my second daughter between degrees; taking only 3 months off and continuing to work while taking classes, which shows my drive and tenacity to succeed!

What would you do?

This applicant is trying really hard to impress, and does seem to have a gorgeous attractive energy level and variety of interests.  In spite of that, she’s not going to go on my short list for medical revenue jobs. (Not to mention that list of hers makes me think:  when are you going to have time to do your career opportunity?) 

There are many blunders people make (beyond simple typos) when RESUME writing, and Too Much Information is a definite Don’t.  Personal information is usually unnecessary and can even raise discrimination issues.  Frankly, I don’t wanna see, or even care that much about, what you do in your spare time. 

What I’m interested in:  what can you do for my company?  What are your skills?  What are your work accomplishments?  What have you done that will demonstrate that you’ll be a great hire for pharma sales, medical sales, clinical diagnostics sales, pharmaceutical device revenue, hospital equipment revenue, surgical supplies sales, laboratory sales, imaging sales, pathology sales, DNA products revenue, or biotechnology sales?

Remember who your audience is.  Who’s reading your RESUME?  What will show ‘em that you’ll be an asset to the company?  Don’t annoy employers with irrelevant information they need to sift through to find what’s important to them.  Because chances are, they won’t.

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized medical and pathology sales recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
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