What Shouldn't Be on Your Resume?

What you shouldn't include on a resume matters just as much as what you should. Some information wastes space, some carries privacy risk, and some is simply outdated resume practice. This article lists what shouldn't appear on your resume. For overall structure, see How to Write a Resume.

Personal and Sensitive Information

• National ID number, date of birth (day/month/year), marital status, religion. None of this is relevant to a hiring decision, and it can count as unnecessary personal data under privacy regulations like GDPR. Don't add it unless the posting or application form specifically asks for it.
• Full home address. City/region is usually enough; street-level detail isn't necessary.
• Height, weight, health information. Some older resume templates still include these, but they have no place on a modern resume — they're entirely irrelevant unless the role has a genuine physical requirement.

Unnecessary or Risky Content

• Salary history. You don't need to write your previous salaries on your resume; this topic is addressed during the interview process if it comes up.
• Reference contact information (without permission). See How to List References on Your Resume for detail.
• Unrelated social media accounts. A LinkedIn or professional portfolio link (GitHub, Behance, etc.) is useful; a personal Instagram or X account is not necessary.
• Unverifiable or exaggerated claims. Immeasurable statements like "best in the industry" or "flawless work" don't build trust.

The Photo Question: It Depends on the Country

Resume-photo conventions vary widely by country. In the US, UK, and Canada, leaving off a photo is standard practice, largely due to anti-discrimination hiring policies — many employers won't even review a resume with a photo attached. In much of continental Europe and elsewhere, a photo is common and generally not an issue. Consider the country and culture of the organization you're applying to before deciding.

Old or Irrelevant Experience

Adding detailed information about a period from early in your career with no connection to your current target role needlessly lengthens your resume (see Resume Length: How Many Pages Should It Be?). Either drop that experience or mention it only at the title level.

Is a "Hobbies" Section Necessary?

A hobbies section isn't required, but it can add a small amount of value in some cases — if a hobby is directly relevant to the role, or if your resume is otherwise quite short. Instead of a random, unrelated list, it's enough to briefly mention the 1-2 that are genuinely meaningful (if any).

Conclusion

Every line on your resume should serve a purpose. Instead of personal/sensitive information, unnecessary detail, and unverifiable claims, spend that space making a strong case for your experience and skills.