Common Resume Mistakes and How to Fix Them

A Guide to Crafting a Resume That Gets Results

Your resume is often your first impression, make it count. Unfortunately, too many great candidates get passed over simply because of avoidable resume errors. Whether you’re a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, reviewing and refining your resume can mean the difference between landing an interview and being overlooked. Here’s how to avoid the most common resume mistakes and what to do instead.

1. One-Size-Fits-All Resumes

Mistake: Submitting the same resume for every job.

Fix: Tailor your resume for each role. Use the job description as your guide, mirroring relevant keywords and focusing on skills that match the specific role.

2. Vague Job Descriptions

Mistake: Listing job duties without context.

Fix: Focus on achievements and impact. Use quantifiable metrics when possible (e.g., "Increased sales by 30%" or "Reduced onboarding time by 40%"), and show how your work contributed to team or company goals.

3. Poor Formatting

Mistake: Using inconsistent or cluttered formatting that’s hard to scan.

Fix: Keep your layout clean and consistent. Use bold headers, bullet points, and enough white space to make it easy to read. Stick with professional fonts like Arial or Calibri.

4. Including Irrelevant Information

Mistake: Adding personal details, outdated jobs, or unrelated experience.

Fix: Keep your resume relevant to the job at hand. Trim old roles beyond 10–15 years unless they’re exceptionally relevant. Leave out high school education if you have a college degree.

5. Objective Statements

Mistake: Using outdated or generic objective statements like "Seeking a position where I can grow."

Fix: Replace the objective with a powerful professional summary. 2–3 sentences that summarize your skills, achievements, and what you bring to the role.

6. Ignoring Keywords

Mistake: Not optimizing for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Fix: Use the exact words and phrases from the job posting (e.g., "project management," "budget forecasting"). This increases your chance of passing the automated screeners.

7. Typos and Grammar Errors

Mistake: Spelling and grammar mistakes signal carelessness.

Fix: Run spell check, then read it out loud. Better yet, have someone else review it. Simple typos can cost you interviews.

8. Overly Lengthy Resumes

Mistake: A resume that’s more than two pages (for most industries).

Fix: Aim for one page if you have under 10 years of experience, and two pages if more. Be concise. Every bullet point should earn its place.

9. Lack of Keywords or Jargon in Technical Fields

Mistake: Using vague language in a technical field.

Fix: If you're in a technical field, use specific terms (e.g., "JavaScript," "Six Sigma," "SQL"). Recruiters often search for these keywords.

10. Not Showing Career Progression

Mistake: Listing jobs without highlighting growth.

Fix: If you've had promotions or taken on more responsibility, show it. Use titles, timeline clarity, and bullet points that reflect your progression.

11. Overuse of Buzzwords

Mistake: Filling your resume with generic phrases like "team player," "hard worker," or "go-getter."

Fix: Show these qualities through actions and achievements. Instead of saying you're a "team player," write about a project you completed with a cross-functional team.

12. Not Including Results

Mistake: Focusing solely on duties rather than results.

Fix: Every bullet point should answer, "What did I achieve?" Results resonate more than responsibilities.

13. Using Passive Language

Mistake: Saying "was responsible for" rather than what you did.

Fix: Use action verbs like "led," "created," "streamlined," or "designed" to show impact and ownership.

14. Forgetting Contact Information

Mistake: Missing or outdated email or phone number.

Fix: Double-check your contact details. Make sure your email is professional (avoid addresses like partygirl99@example.com).

15. Not Linking to Your Online Presence

Mistake: Failing to include your LinkedIn profile or portfolio.

Fix: Add a hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile or digital portfolio so hiring managers can learn more about you quickly.

Avoiding these resume mistakes can dramatically increase your chances of landing an interview. Your resume isn’t just a document, it’s your marketing tool. It should tell the story of your professional value in a concise, compelling way.

Our recruiters work with job seekers every day that have applied to our open positions to help fine-tune their resumes and match them with top-tier opportunities. Apply to our open positions today and let us help you shine.