Resume Mistake: Too Much Information

Let’s say you’re a recruiter, and you’ve just received a resume 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 am an crazy reader. I am a mother of 2 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 pretty handsome energy level and variety of interests.  In spite of that, she’s not going to go on my short list for laboratory revenue jobs. (Not to mention that list of hers makes me think:  when are you going to have time to do your position?) 

There are many blunders people make (beyond simple typos) when CV 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 want to 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 medical revenue, lab sales, medical diagnostics sales, medical device sales, hospital equipment sales, surgical supplies sales, medical sales, imaging sales, clinical laboratory sales, DNA products sales, or biotechnology sales?

Remember who your audience is.  Who’s reading your CV?  What will show them that you’ll be an asset to the company?  Don’t annoy employers with irrelevant information they have to sift through to discover 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 laboratory revenue recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
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