I read Reddit’s résumé subreddit regularly, and it’s one of the most common questions asked: "Should I put such-and-such item on my résumé, or leave it off?" The variations are endless:

  • Should I put a job on my résumé that I was at for only three months?
  • Should I put my college work on my résumé, even though I only was in for two years of a four-year degree?
  • Should I put my hobbies on my résumé?
  • Should I put my volunteer work on my résumé?
  • Should I put my high school education on my résumé?

The answer is the same for each of these examples: It depends on the job for which you’re applying.  Here's how to analyze the situation and make the right choice for the job.

First, remember that the purpose of a résumé is to get you a job interview. Therefore, the question you have to ask yourself is "Will this piece of information help convince the reader to call me in for an interview?"  If it won’t, then leave it out.

Second, every position is different, so you must ask the question as it relates to the job for which you’re applying. You don’t have a single résumé that you blast out to the world. Consider every point on your résumé as it applies to the job for which you're applying. For example, you probably don't want to put on your résumé that you play guitar when applying for a job as a system administrator, unless you're applying for that sysadmin job at a music publishing house.

All that said, here are a few items that you should almost definitely leave off a résumé:

  • "References available upon request," which is assumed and is therefore noise.
  • A list of references, because these will be asked for at a later point in the hiring process
  • A photograph, which is inappropriate in the United States