As part of my job search I have been trying out some job boards and taking advantage of certain services that they offer. Last week, I had my resume reviewed (which by the way resulted in a pitch for a more in-depth review for $500) and also attended a webinar on what recruiters look for in a resume.

The information and feedback I received wasn't anything really groundbreaking, but it still served as a good reminder. Like most MBA's I updated my resume to follow Beverly B guidelines but now that I've graduated I figure that using such a standard isn't necessarily helpful.

One recommendation that came from both the review and the webinar was to remove 'additional information' such as interests and volunteer work because it isn't related to the job. This surprised me. I've known classmates that have stood out from other candidates and ultimately received offers because something they've listed caught the hiring manager's eye. These interests can also serve as great conversation starters if there is a common interest or if say the recruiter is part of the same volunteer organization.

People are different and I think that especially with resumes there are many guidelines that aren't universally agreed upon. Still, this one on leaving out interests goes against my intuition and I'm curious to see what other people think.

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