Everyone wants to get their dream job, but sometimes it can be hard to get even a foot in the door. The first step to getting a great job is having a great resume.

If you’re applying for jobs and no one is responding, you might have made some common mistakes on your resume. Here are four things you should never include on your resume, and also some tips for writing a great one.

1. Your personal information like date of birth, age, marital status, sex, etc.

The reason why most persons include some of these on their resumes is because they see other persons doing it. They’ve never stopped to ask themselves ‘how does including this information on my resume make me a better candidate for the job or internship’.

2. Unrelated work experiences and skills: Know what skills are related to the job you want and what isn’t important.

If it’s not relevant, leave it off! If I’m applying for the role of a front desk officer, my previous experience working as a video creator or graphic designer shouldn’t be stated on my resume as these two don’t relate.

3. Photograph: While a photograph can be helpful if you’re applying for a job where your appearance is important (like modeling or acting), most employers will be more interested in your skills than how you look. For some countries especially in Europe, this is accepted but in other countries, it’s a no no.

4. Reference:

This section should also be taken off from your CV as it’s of no importance.

Instead of including the contact and address of your referees, just write ‘to be provided on request.

If you’re careful about including only the right things on your resume and leaving out everything else, your chances of being called for an interview would improve greatly.