6 Hot Resume Topics: Truths or Mistruths?

These days, the internet is full of resume opinions and advice: how to write a great resume, things to avoid, and things you must or must not do. But what do you believe, and is it all true?

Creating a standout resume in a competitive job market can be challenging, and even minor missteps can weaken the file. From overcrowding your resume with irrelevant details to relying on vague or clichéd language, common mistakes can undermine your impact and obscure your strengths. In this post, I will explore some of the most debated or questionable resume practices, helping you build a clear, results-focused resume that catches the attention of resume readers for the right reasons.

To start, I presented 6 often-debated or misunderstood resume questions/topics on LinkedIn and asked expert resume readers and writers to weigh in. The questions included:

1. Should you put your photo on the resume?
2. How long should a resume be?
3. Is it okay to add color or shading to a resume?
4. Is it good practice to use personal pronouns in a resume?
5. Should you include a location on a resume (city, province/state, postal/zip code) or none at all?
6. Does ATS automatically eliminate resumes?

As you can imagine, responses to these topics varied, but some clear warnings and themes emerged. Let’s break down each of the above questions, and I’ll be sure to share my thoughts.

Should You Put Your Photo on the Resume?

Although some countries embrace or require the inclusion of a photo on a resume, we do not in North America.

Unfortunately, many resume templates online include a spot for your photo, which can be confusing for job seekers. If the fancy templates online have spots for a photo, one should be included, right? No, not always. As mentioned, photos on resumes are frowned upon in North America.

Ben Wiant, a former recruiter, reminds us that not only do pictures take up real estate, but they also “introduce potential bias.”

However, this is where this topic gets debatable. John Herzog, a resume writer, ponders, “Given that most people have their photos on LinkedIn, it probably shouldn’t matter one way or another.”

I tend to agree with John. If a candidate’s photo is easy to find online, why should it matter if it is on the resume? Just some food for thought.

How Long Should a Resume Be?

Resume length has long been debated like a Dr. Suess novel: one-page, two-page, short-page, long-page. Which one is it?

The overall answer to resume length is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer here, and for good reason. Everyone is unique and has different career lengths, experience levels, and variable details.

Barb Penney, resume writer and interview coach, stresses that the answer to resume length is that “it depends. Many executives and others with years of experience will need 3 pages to provide a picture of their expertise. New graduates and those newer to the workforce can tell their career story in one page… there are always exceptions.”

Overall, you want to keep the resume easy to read and not too overwhelming. So yes, there should be a limit to page length. A resume that goes on and on and on won’t be read in full, if at all. Steve Shumansky, resume writer, reminds us that “most readers skim resumes, so you need a succinct and well-crafted resume to capture their interest quickly.”

My take? Resume length alone does not determine effectiveness. Keep it short and succinct, tailored and targeted. Less can be more in a resume.

Is it Okay to Add Colour or Shading to a Resume?

In just a few years, resumes transitioned from basic black-and-white to more designed formats. These days, the consensus among recruiters and resume readers is that the resume must be easy to read. Design is secondary to content and should not interfere with or distract from it.

Pamela Skillings, resume writer, agrees that colour and shading are “great for highlighting sections and guiding the reader through the document” but that you should not overdo it. Additionally, the industry must be considered when making resume design decisions. “Creative fields may embrace more color and design elements, while more conservative industries (i.e., finance or law) typically expect a clean, simple format,” reminds resume writer Paula Christensen.

I personally love a strategically designed resume. Note the word strategic, which means carefully including design components, colour, and/or shading to guide the eye and help key content pop off the page. A resume does not need to look boring, and design can complement great content. Marie Plett Lane, an executive resume writer, challenges job seekers to “stand apart from the other zebras” by making their resumes unique, and I’m all for it.

Is it Good Practice to Use Personal Pronouns in a Resume?

When referencing pronouns in a resume, I specifically mean first-person language, including the words “I, me, or my.”

Typically, resumes are written in the first person implied, minus the pronouns. For example, instead of saying, “I managed a team of 10,” you would simply share that you “Managed a team of 10.”

However, is the use of personal pronouns a complete no-no in resumes, or are we shifting to a time when they are more valued and accepted?

Respondent consensus suggests that personal pronouns should still be skipped in a resume because “resumes don’t really need pronouns; it can be more efficient without them” (Karen Styles, agency recruiter). Steve Shumansky agrees that a resume is not the best place for them but that “your LinkedIn profile offers the freedom to do this in a compelling and personal way.”

Over the last 15+ years of writing resumes, I have only included personal pronouns in a client’s resume a handful of times – and only because it made sense for that person’s strategy. To me, resumes benefit from brevity, and this is best achieved without pronouns.

Should You Include a Location on a Resume (mailing address)?

Gone are the days when you included a complete mailing address on your resume. In addition to no longer needing this information during the initial screening and hiring process, these facts are no longer safe to share publicly.

Randall Deutscher, talent acquisition specialist, stresses that a “general location is fine,” but “PLEASE don’t include an exact address on the resume as there are too many bad actors out there for that to be a safe move.”

So why include a general location at all? Karen Styles shares, “As a Recruiter using an ATS, City/Province and Postal Codes are helpful when looking to place candidates in in-office roles specific locations. I can do a resume search for candidates in a geographic area”.

When I write a resume, I aim to include city and province/state at a minimum to support search results, adjusting the strategy as needed for those looking to relocate or secure remote work.

Does ATS Automatically Eliminate Resumes?

Finally, we wrap up with one of the hottest and often touchiest topics. Rampant claims on the internet and social media promote applicant tracking systems (ATS) as robots that read and reject resumes.

These extreme claims are mostly false.

The truth is that ATSs are like giant digital filing cabinets. They collect and store resumes. Yes, recruiters can search these systems for select criteria or set them up with knockout questions, but people manage these systems, read the resumes, and make the hiring decisions.

Lynn Eskite-Tant, military career transition coach, best explains it: “ATS are software packages that are programmed by people. They do as they are directed to do. If they are directed to filter out candidates without certain credentials, such as licenses or degrees, they will do exactly that. The bottom line with ATS is if you match the requirements, there’s no reason to exclude you.”

As Lynn mentions, ATS can filter out resumes by select criteria, often known as knockout questions. However, Diana Alt, career coach, knows “exactly zero recruiters” who rely on the system alone to make the final decisions and that they “still review those [flagged] resumes to confirm something wasn’t assessed incorrectly.” Karen Styles agrees and shares that her ATS does not auto-reject resumes as “we humans review applications.”

My warning is not to believe the rumours that ATS is a big, bad, resume-eating machine. Yes, these systems can parse, search, and flag files as matches. Yes, these systems can be programmed with knockout questions. However, the people managing the system still have control and read the resumes, as agreed by Steve Brady, job search coach: “If someone programs the ATS to separate resumes by say, ones without a college degree, that’s not the ATS rejecting you, that’s the recruiter who told the ATS what to do.”

There are many resume truths and mistruths out there. Picking them apart can be tricky, so qualify sources carefully and remember that there is no one perfect way to write a resume. You are unique. Therefore, your resume should be, too.

Looking for a resume that gets you noticed for top jobs? I’ve got you covered. Check out my resume writing services.