Resume Space Fillers (Definition And Common Examples)

When a recruiter or hiring manager looks over your resume, they may be looking for evidence that you might be a good fit for the job. It is critical to include information regarding previous work and accomplishments, particularly past work and experience relevant to the position you are applying for. Knowing how to filter information by relevance can help you make it easier for hiring managers to locate the points they are looking for in an ideal candidate. In this article, we examine what resume space fillers are and provide examples for them along with certain tips you can keep in mind while creating a resume.

What are resume space fillers?

Resume space fillers are words and phrases that professionals commonly use in resume writing, but which can take up a lot of space. The two types of space fillers are repetitive fillers and exaggerated fillers. Repetitive phrases are those that add nothing new to existing information and create redundancies. There is no use for these phrases because they may simply restate what you have already stated. Exaggerated fillers are adjectives and adverbs that appear to add emphasis or clarification, but do nothing more than take up space.

Related: What Is A Resume? (Types, Essentials And Examples)

Examples Of Resume Space Fillers

Here are a few examples of space fillers in a resume:

Photos or images

Resumes intend to highlight the qualities that distinguish you as a strong candidate. A picture might take a reader's attention away from your relevant skills and experience. While a photograph may be required in some professions, most recruitment processes do not rely on a person's physical appearance.

Most large companies and small and mid-sized businesses use applicant tracking systems to manage and filter resumes. Resume pictures may confuse applicant tracking systems that only read text, preventing you from appearing as a top candidate. It may be a waste of space on a resume and it might lead to biased opinions regarding your age or race.

Hobbies

Only include hobbies if they are relevant to your profession. For example, while applying for a writing or editorial position, a passion for blogging is a selling point. While applying for a job at an architectural firm, an interest in painting and art might be a selling point for you. Make sure your hobbies on your resume demonstrate a passion for the job you are applying for.

Refrain from making a long list of all the hobbies you enjoy doing in your spare time. For instance, many people enjoy watching sports, but this might not help them find employment in a sports management company. Maintain a list of hobbies that are relevant to the position you are applying for and update this list periodically.

Related: Interests And Hobbies For A Resume Or CV

Address

It is advisable to omit your complete mailing address on a resume. It is unnecessary and exposes you to privacy and discrimination issues. As part of your contact information, only include your city, state and zip code. Since your address is personal identification information (PII), some companies reject resumes with a complete mailing address (PII). The laws governing PII are complex, but businesses typically avoid infringing on people's privacy or utilising sensitive information to prevent any liabilities from manifesting at a later stage.

Outdated or irrelevant skills

The goal of a resume is to market a candidate to potential employers. You can include the sections that highlight your strengths and you can leave some skills off your resume if you believe they do not add any value. Remove any skills you have that do not directly apply to the job role in question. Consider creating a separate resume for each job type if you are applying for a variety of jobs. This can help you avoid listing skills that do not apply to the role.

Objective statement

If you applied for a job with a company, they may be aware that your goal is to get an interview and possibly a job offer. Many employers consider a resume objective to be an outdated component and it takes up valuable space near the top of your resume that you can better utilise for other sections, such as a career summary statement. Use the space below your header and contact information to write one or two brief paragraphs about your career achievements and who you are.

Related: Resume Objective Writing Guide (With Examples)

References upon request

It is unnecessary to include the phrase ‘References upon request' on your resume since hiring managers are aware that they can ask for references and expect to receive them. If you work in a field such as consulting that accepts case studies or testimonials on resumes, it may be appropriate to include the name of the person and their contact information for reference. It is also acceptable to include references if the job description not only asks for references but also specifies that you can directly include them on your resume. Otherwise, you can keep your reference list in a separate document.

Tips For Creating A Resume

Modern resumes follow a clear, concise and consistent style that highlights a candidate's key skills, abilities and accomplishments. Sometimes you might not have enough content to include in your resume. The following tips can assist you in turning a brief resume into something more polished and comprehensive:

Choose effective formatting styles

This is one of the most important aspects of creating a visually appealing and consistent resume. Review your resume's font size, spacing, placement and other details to ensure that each element is appropriate. Use fonts like Palatino Linotype or Arial with a size of 10.5 to 12 to fill out your resume, depending on how much content you have. You can also increase the spacing between lines up to 1.15, but refrain from going any higher than that or the resume might look unprofessional.

Select an appropriate layout

A winning resume typically combines a proper layout of your content with precise formatting. Include a clear value statement that highlights your best qualities from top to bottom and then follow with a core strengths section which contains a few columns of keywords that reflect your major strengths. You can also include a section for your significant achievements and devote the rest of your resume to job-related information.

Use accomplishments to add value to your resume

You can display the layout of your resume in various ways depending on your experience. Creating a section dedicated solely to ‘Key Achievements' or ‘Career Highlights' is often the most effective. If you are just starting out in your career, you probably have a key achievements headline that lists your major project work from school, internships or any notable accomplishments you have already made. Adding four or five bullet points for that section can make it engaging. Make sure to emphasise the significance of each accomplishment in the context of your professional growth.

Related: How To Include Accomplishments On Your Resume

Provide evidence for soft skills

A resume may become long when candidates highlight too many soft skills on it. Soft skills usually pertain to phrases like ‘I have excellent leadership skills' or ‘I have a strong work ethic'. These characteristics are unquestionably valuable, but you may require proof or tangible examples to truly convince an employer that you are capable of doing what you say you can. Provide examples of how you have assisted customers in obtaining what they require if you have mentioned excellent customer service skills.

Incorporate keywords

Keywords in your resume are essential for getting employers to notice your profile. You can improve your chances of getting a job interview by including keywords in your resume and cover letter. Keywords are words or short phrases that refer to specific job requirements. A hiring manager usually looks for these specific skills, abilities, qualifications and characteristics in a candidate.

As you complete most job applications online, it is likely that an application tracking system might scan your resume. It looks for keywords and phrases in the job posting to see if resumes and applications meet the basic requirements. Examine job postings carefully for relevant keywords you can include in your resume. Make sure you understand the job requirements and keywords before you start working on an application.