Stop Putting These 10 Things on Your Resume

Key Concepts

• Résumé Conciseness: The core principle of effective résumé writing – prioritizing brevity and relevance.
• ATS (Applicant Tracking System): Software used by companies to scan and rank résumés based on keywords and formatting.
• Keyword Stuffing: The practice of excessively including keywords in a résumé, often appearing unnatural and detrimental.
• Rumé Rocket Fuel: Brian’s course offering a comprehensive guide to résumé writing.
• High-Level Competency: Demonstrating achievement and skill without excessive detail.
• Marketing Perspective: Viewing the résumé as a marketing document designed to quickly capture attention.

Heading & Contact Information

Brian emphasizes a concise heading. He advises against including full street addresses, arguing they are unnecessary. City and state are sufficient, even for remote positions due to potential time zone considerations. For international applicants, city and country are recommended. The rationale is recruiters don’t need this information for initial screening; it’s collected later in the application process if needed.

Removing Redundant Information

He strongly discourages the use of introductory headings containing keyword strings. He believes job titles are more informative and recruiters focus on those first. He states, “While the heading is nice to be able to brand yourself a certain way, I'm more interested in what your titles say.”

Skills Section Optimization

Brian advises against listing a broad range of unrelated skills or “fluffy” terms like “organizational skills” or “team player” without supporting evidence. He warns against keyword stuffing, particularly in résumés generated by AI tools like ChatGPT, where irrelevant keywords are often inserted. He stresses the importance of accuracy and relevance, stating, “If you're just going into the job posting and trying to insert and force them into your resume to have them, but you've never actually backed them up…then it looks like keyword stuffing to us.”

Bullet Point Refinement

He advocates for drastically shortening bullet points, reducing them to highlight key accomplishments rather than providing extensive context. The purpose of a bullet point is to demonstrate competency, not to tell a complete story. He suggests, “cut your bullet points in half. Make them concise, consolidated, and really focus on the way that you phrase things.”

Résumé Length

While acknowledging the debate around résumé length (one vs. two pages), Brian prioritizes conveying information efficiently. He doesn’t prescribe a specific page limit but suggests cutting unnecessary content if a résumé exceeds two pages. He explains that recruiters scan many résumés quickly and will move on if they have to work too hard to find relevant information. He notes, “if they have to work too hard to find the things that they're looking for, there's a thousand other people waiting in the wings.”

Education Section Pruning

He recommends minimizing information in the education section. Listing multiple degrees of the same level or degrees unrelated to the target career should be avoided. High school information is generally unnecessary once higher education is listed. He suggests focusing on the most relevant and highest-level degrees, potentially including a bachelor’s degree alongside an MBA. Minor degrees are generally expendable unless directly relevant.

Certifications & Awards

Brian advises removing most certifications unless they are industry-recognized and require significant study and examination. Low-barrier-to-entry certifications offer limited value. He suggests including training only if it helps with ATS keyword filtering. Awards and recognition should be industry-standard accolades, not internal company awards. He clarifies, “if it's just something that you got in your department and only your company knows what it is, it's probably not really going to move the needle a whole lot.”

Hobbies & References

He generally recommends removing hobbies, especially for experienced professionals, as they can slow down the review process. However, he acknowledges they can be beneficial for entry-level candidates with limited experience. He advises against including “References available upon request,” stating that references will be requested if needed and can be provided as a separate document.

Overall Strategy & Perspective

Brian frames résumé writing as a marketing exercise. The goal is to present a concise and compelling case for why a candidate is a good fit for the role. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the audience (recruiters and hiring managers) and tailoring the résumé to their needs. He stresses, “You only have a few seconds to catch their attention and every single thing I put on my resume is very purposeful and intent driven.”

Logical Connections

The video progresses logically from broad principles (conciseness) to specific elements (headings, skills, education) of a résumé. Each section builds upon the central theme of removing unnecessary information to create a more impactful document. Brian consistently connects his advice to the realities of the recruitment process, including the use of ATS and the limited time recruiters spend reviewing each résumé.

Data & Statistics

While no specific statistics are cited, Brian repeatedly emphasizes the high volume of résumés recruiters review and the short amount of time they spend on each one. This underscores the need for a concise and targeted résumé.

Synthesis/Conclusion

Brian’s core message is that effective résumé writing is about ruthless editing and strategic prioritization. Candidates should focus on demonstrating relevant accomplishments concisely, understanding that recruiters are scanning for key information and have limited time. The résumé should be viewed as a marketing document designed to quickly capture attention and secure an interview. He encourages viewers to learn to write their own résumés and offers his course, Rumé Rocket Fuel, as a resource for those needing additional guidance.