If your job applications seem to be going into a black hole, you need to find out why your resume is failing the initial 30-second scan.

One culprit can be the clutter in your resume.

A resume isn't a first draft of a memoir and when it is loaded with personal stories, hobbies, goals and relationships, it simply fails its primary mission of attracting the attention of a busy hiring manager. The goal is to have a concise and professional one-page resume that is free of jargon and irrelevant information.

Here are a few general tips on how to clear up space and tighten your resume:

Personal and confidential

Everyone seems to appreciate employers who don't discriminate. However, I see loads of resumes that begin with gender, age, marital status and religion. Unless you're applying for a job that is clearly required to be done for instance by a male older than 40, you really don't need to include these points. Additionally, you're not missing out on anything. Age can be calculated, more or less, based on your studies and experience, gender is mostly clear in the name.

Meanwhile, if these factors are not critical to the job and the employer is persistent to learn them, then you'll get to know something about the corporate hiring ethics.

Jargon-free experience

Two points here. First, your job responsibilities should not be confused with the job description you were handed by a supervisor. Resumes that are loaded with statements like "Provide assistance as required to different departments" fail to attract any attention. Not only do such statements provide very little to no information, it proves that you're stating requirements rather than accomplishments. A better way of presenting a point like that would be to say "Assisted ABD department with XYZ task", adding some details of what the type of assistance and the task.

Second, clear your job responsibilities from any corporate-specific jargon. If you've to include particular projects try to specify their importance and value. So instead of saying a ‘big' project, state it is value. Furthermore, a reputable company can be better described as the second largest company in the sector.

Every single job

A resume is a living project. If you're 40, you don't really just adding your latest job on top of the McJobs you held when you were 16. You need to update your resume occasionally and delete any short term or minor jobs that don't add much to your experience which will help you present your career as more defined and clear path.

Who I am

Objectives, hobbies and interests are usually full of self-proclaimed statements such as: ambitious, team player, passionate. Your references will speak of your qualities so you can safely cut them off your resume. If there is a particular reason to provide personal traits such as applying for job that involves dealing with special groups of people or children, then try to make your statement as objective as possible.

For instance, if you're applying for a customer service position which requires pervious face-to-face customer experience, you might point out your previous job and any tangible recognition such as "employee of the month", an award or a certificate.

Pay records

Pay records are a big no even if a future employer demands it. When you send out your resume, you don't know when it will be saved and whether it will be distributed to subsidiaries. Additionally it takes a massive space on your resume and becomes a big distraction. If you decide to comply with a request for a pay history, provide it on a separate sheet.

Personal stories

Everyone loves a personal story. It makes a great ice breaker and creates an instant bond in a personal interview. However, don't venture with personal stories in your resume or cover letter. When you're invited to an interview and you're asked to provide a glimpse of who you're as a person, feel free to share within reason.

Gr8 opportunity

Messaging and online abbreviated vocabulary are cool where they belong, not on resumes. Proper grammar and correct spelling are essential in portraying your seriousness and professionalism. 

Don't include the following

• Unnecessary personal information e.g. gender and religion.
• Job descriptions as previous responsibilities.
•  A pay history in the resume body.
•  Personal stories and casual writing style.

The writer, a former Business Features Editor at Gulf News, is a freelance journalist based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Dubai: A new decision has been approved to reduce the life of the labour card for all workers and employees in the private sector, to two years from the current three, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

A senior official at the Labour Ministry told Gulf News the rule will be implemented in January 2011. "As the labour card will be for only two years, naturally the residency visa will also be for two years," the official explained.

According to a statement by Humaid Bin Deemas, Acting Director-General of the Ministry of Labour, carried by WAM, "The UAE Cabinet has reduced the validity of labour cards of all categories of people who work in private sector from three years to two years in a bid to regulate the labour market."

The Cabinet decision aims to unify the labour card validity for all work categories to be similar to that of drivers, domestic helpers and other similar categories who are given only two-year labour cards and residence visas by the Department of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, while other professions currently get three-year labour cards and three-year residence visa.

Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Minhali, Assistant Undersecretary at the ministry's Naturalisation and Residency Affairs department told Gulf News the change in the validity of the labour card will impact the expiry date of the residence visa issued to expatriates.

"When we get an application for a residence visa we look at the validity of the labour card issued by the Ministry of Labour; if it is for two years then we will issue a two-year residence visa," he explained.

Significant amendments

He also revealed that the ministry is currently studying significant amendments to the current law which deals with residency and foreigners' affairs.

Bin Deemas said the decision will help private sector employers to "save Dh678 million annually", as ministry statistics show that 70 per cent of labour cards are cancelled before two years have passed.

He said total licence and work permit fees for 2009 were Dh2.25 billion, and that it cost 70 per cent of employers who paid the three-year irretrievable fees, a sum of Dh1.757 billion.

However, they could have saved Dh678 million if the cards were valid for two years.

"The decision would also achieve certain flexibility in the relationship between employers and employees; it would give both parties the ability to end the relationship without big losses for the employers and in a way that will not violate the labour laws," he said, adding that for the employees, the decision will help enhance competitiveness and movement in the job market.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/visa/uae-residency-visa-labour-card-validity-cut-to-two-years-1.725290

Dubai: Visitors to the UAE must stay one month outside the country before they can apply for another visit visa, said senior official from Ministry of Interior.

Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director General of the Dubai Residency and Foreigners Affairs Department, told Gulf News that there are no changes in the rules for visit visas.

"People who entered the country on a visit visa and wanted a fresh visa must leave the country for one month before they can apply for another visit visa," said Major General Al Merri.

Rumours

Major General Al Merri denied rumours that people who entered the country on visit visas must stay outside the country for three months before they can apply for another visit visa. Major General Al Merri said that there are two categories of visit visa — three-month duration and one-month duration. People have to leave the country for one month before applying for new visit visas.

Major General Al Merri said that people can also apply for a tourist visa which is valid for one month and can be extended for another month without leaving the country.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/visa/visitors-to-uae-must-stay-out-for-one-month-to-apply-for-new-visa-1.725285