Remember, your résumé is an outline of yourself, not an in-depth autobiography. While there are certain elements which a good résumé should include, there is also a lot of stuff that all good résumés will leave out.
This doesn't mean you are being dishonest in any way. It just means that you are only including information that is relevant to the position for which you are applying and leaving out information that the employer either doesn't want to know or doesn't need to know.
The following is recommended as information NOT to be included in your résumé:
Irrelevant information. While you don't want to leave anything out that the employer might find significant, including too much information can also reduce your chances of getting an interview. The employer is going to get lots of résumés and will want to be able to go through them quickly. Your résumé should only highlight the skills and education or training you need for the job; you can expand on these and your other attributes in the interview.
Salary - Past or desired. You can discuss this after you are offered the job, or at the interview if the employer asks you to state your salary expectations. If a speicific job posting asks you to include an expected salary, the place to mention it is in your cover letter.
Why you want to change employment or the reason(s) for leaving previous jobs. If there is a problem that you think must be brought to the employer's attention, this can be done at the interview stage.
Social Insurance Number - Prospective employers do not need this information. If the employer asks for your S.I.N., or it is requested on an application form, state that you will provide it once the employer has decided to hire you.
Addresses of Previous Employers - A current phone number is sufficient if using a previous employer as a reference.
The Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act outlines what constitutes discrimination in the area of job applications, advertisements and employment practices. Alberta Community Development has put together a list of suitable pre-employment inquiries. The following are areas of information that employers cannot ask for in employment application forms and in interview situations, and are points you may want to leave out of your résumé:
- Photograph
- Gender
- Marital Status
- Previous name
- Dependents
- Date of birth and age
- Physical information, including height, weight, general state of your health (employers can ask for a job-related medical examination prior to an offer of employment)
- Religious beliefs
- Racial origin
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