Things that should be left OFF your resume

[DWAlphaGam]

Originally posted by LightBulb
Heya.. I'm going to apply for a job soon!

I am a sophomore in college. Should I include a cover sheet or paragraph? I am unfamiliar with a format for this part of a resume. Please give a sample or advise concerning what to include in a cover sheet or introduction paragraph.

I think my resume is pretty decent (divided into: "Work Experience", "Academic Experience and Related Skills", "Writing Experience" [related to the jobs I'm applying for], "Extracurricular Activities and Community Service"). Since I will need a lot of writing and editing skills, I am adding my composite and English/verbal scores for ACT and SAT too. Do you think this is a good idea, since I don't have too many previous jobs?

Thanks for your advice!

ALWAYS include a cover letter. I usually won't consider resumes that dont' have a cover letter, because it shows (at least to me) that the person can't be bothered putting in the effort. Also, a cover letter is a great place to explain some things that you might not be able to put on your resume, such as why the company should hire you over anyone else with a similar background. As an English major applying for writing jobs, it is especially important, because you can showcase your writing skills. Monster has a lot of information about cover letters here: http://resume.monster.com/archives/coverletter/

SAT/ACT scores have been discussed in this thread previously, and some say they help and others don't care either way. I would say that if you want to include them, go ahead. It's not going to hurt your chances if you include them (an employer isn't going to say "I don't care about this person's SAT scores" and throw away your resume because they're there), and there is a small chance that it may help you.

Originally posted by MTSUGURL
Some of the jobs that I'm applying for are asking for computer skills. Should I list on there that I built our website and maintain it or no?

Definitely include that information, and possibly include a link to the Web site so that the employer can check out your skills. The more experience you put on your resume, the better, even if it's not directly related to academics or employment.