Additional Resume Information

Should I include my salary history when I first submit my resume?

Your salary history should never be included on your resume and here is why. Employers are, quite frankly, looking for reasons to screen people out of their hiring process, and you don't want to give them any ammunition to do that. If your salary history shows a earning potential higher than what they're, perhaps, paying but you'd be willing to work in that salary range, you may be screened out before you ever even get the opportunity to interview for that position. So, table that conversation for much, much later.

Should I include personal information on my resume?

On your resume it's never a good idea to include personal information. A lot of folks will include things like married, three kids, loves to ski and rollerblade and whatever that might be. That information absolutely needs to stay off of your resume. The resume must be focused strictly on your professional, academic, and community involvement. Again, you don't want to give any perspective employer any ammunition to screen you out. So, for example, your interviewer may have just gotten a divorce last week, and they don't want to see on somebody's resume that you are happily married with three kids. Those types of things do happen, so you need to be aware of all the subliminal things going on when you send in your resume.

What are "job references"?

Regarding additional resume information, job references are positive comments that are provided by previous employers, current employers, professors from colleges where you went to school, people perhaps who know you from community activities or organizations, the PTA. Job references are simply statements that attest to your professionalism, knowledge, skills, and character.

Do I need to include job references with my resume?

Regarding additional resume information, including job references with your resume is a terrific idea. It tells the prospective employer that you are so proactive that you've gone ahead and done that job of getting references for them before they even ask. So, it's a terrific way to let the employer know that you're one step ahead of the game and already have great references and testimonials to provide for them right there at the interview.

Is it satisfactory to write "references upon request" on my resume?

I never recommend using the phrase, "references available upon request," because it's a given; it's an absolute given. Any employer is going to know that references are available upon request. So why not be proactive? Why not set yourself apart from the competition and give them the references right up front?