Resume Metadata Part 1: Uncover Concealed Info

Photo credit: bobloo17 / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

In our last article, we shared a few no no’s sometimes found in resume content and also revealed a few problems that can hide within the resume file itself. One of the things we discussed was the often overlooked metadata which programs like Microsoft Word automatically embed within the file. While this may not be uncovered by all hiring managers, it can certainly look unprofessional if stumbled upon and your document properties are stuffed with silly information. However, just like everything else in a resume, you can take advantage of your document properties to help you get noticed and land that job.

In this two-part series we are going to specifically look at removing, adding and enhancing your resume through the use of document properties within Microsoft Word.

Accessing Document Metadata

First, you’re probably wondering where metadata shows up in your resume file. It’s actually pretty accessible. All you have to do is hover your mouse over the file for a few seconds and voila! A little bubble will appear with a summary of the info.

For an even more detailed look, follow these steps:

1. Use your mouse to right-click on the file.
2. Select “Properties” from the menu that appears.
3. Click the “Summary” tab.
4. Toggle detail by clicking the “Advanced” button (optional).

Here’s what you’ll get (simple and advanced views):

You can actually edit the document properties from either of these menu screens. However, not all of the fields in the advanced view are editable as denoted by the blank icons. As you can see from the example, things like “Last Saved By” and “Date Created” can’t be removed or replaced from here.

For most, it will be enough to right-click the file, clear the metadata fields and apply the changes. At least this will give you a clean file for emailing. Some people, however, may want to either fully clean the file so nothing appears or enhance the file with custom metadata.

Cleaning Your Resume

Since most people use a pre-formatted resume template or borrow a version from a friend, there will more than likely be document metadata present. That’s why, as a first step to preparing your resume file, we recommend you just zap all the metadata before you do anything else. This will give you a clean slate. Here’s how to do that in Word 2007:

1. Click the Office logo in the very upper left-hand corner.
2. Roll over the “Prepare” tab until the next menu appears.
3. Select the “Inspect Document” icon which will bring up a new screen. (Right)
4. Click the “Inspect” button which will reveal whether you have hidden metadata. (Below)
5. If metadata is present, click the “Remove All” button.
6. Save your file.

Now that you have a fresh resume free of any errant metadata, you can be confident no hiring manager will find anything you don’t want them to.

If you’re using Word 2003, check out this Microsoft article for support on removing or minimizing metadata.