20 Common Resume Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

Recruiters spend only 30 seconds reviewing resumes, so you never get a second chance to make the right first impression. Even the most minor of resume mistakes can ruin your chances of getting to the next stage of the hiring process. But how can you avoid them?

20 common resume mistakes you might be making 

When you’re having no luck with applications, it’s smart to go back to the drawing board. There are plenty of common resume mistakes that many candidates don’t even consider when applying for jobs. In this section, we’ll be looking at common errors in the topics below:

• What you choose to include in your resume (and what not to)
• What may be causing ATS to filter your resume out
• Balancing creativity vs. professionalism
• Technical aspects of structuring and sending your resume

Avoiding these mistakes will instantly boost your odds of landing a job interview. Jobseeker’s resume builder tool makes it easier than ever to side-step common pitfalls. Next up, let’s take a look at each mistake, why it’s a problem, and what you should do instead.

Mistake 1: Including irrelevant information

Packing your resume full of irrelevant information is a waste of both your and the recruiter’s time. Since hiring managers don’t have a lot of time to spare, your resume should be quickly scannable. Anything that doesn’t support your application for this role is working against you.

Remove details that are not entirely relevant to the role. That includes hobbies and interests that have no bearing on your career, part-time jobs in a different field, and courses that are not career-centric. What you should be left with is a rock-solid resume that speaks to recruiters.

Mistake 2: Not tailoring your resume to each job application

Sending out the exact same resume for every application is one of the most common resume mistakes. It often means giving the recruiter too much irrelevant information (see: mistake number one) and failing to target the job advert keywords properly. 

To avoid this issue, read the job advert carefully and look for areas in which your skills and experience overlap with the criteria. Clearly pointing these out on your resume is the best way to immediately show both the ATS software and the recruiter you’re a good fit for the role.

Here's an example of a job advert, with the keywords highlighted:

And here's how a candidate might tailor their work experience section:

Mistake 3: Including references

When you first learned how to write a resume, you were likely told to include references at the bottom of the page. Or, as many of us got used to, to write “References available on request”. However, this is an outdated practice, and can often do more harm than good. 

Including references on your resume shows the reader that you’re not up to date with the latest hiring practices. Leave this section off completely and save yourself some space. Remember: If the recruiter wants references, they’ll ask for them.

Mistake 4: Listing job duties instead of accomplishments

Your work experience section does a lot of the heavy lifting for your resume. Below the main details of each role, you’ll include bullet points that describe the role. A real resume mistake many candidates make is simply listing their everyday tasks and duties. 

The recruiter doesn’t want to know what it said in your job description. They want to hear about the impact you had. Lead with your accomplishments, preferably backed by solid metrics. You can also use action words to show you were the one leading the charge.

Take a look at our examples below:

Mistake 5: Using a headshot on your resume

When you’re applying for jobs in America, you don’t need to use a picture on your resume. The law prohibits employers from discriminating based on race, religion, sex, and national origin.

Sharing a photo of yourself reveals some of these to the recruiter and means they could accidentally hold biases against you. Chances are, they will skip your application entirely. 

There are exceptions to this rule. If you’re applying for a job in which your looks matter, like in modeling or acting, you should include a headshot.

In the UK, there are similar laws that apply, and so you shouldn’t include a headshot on your resume. However, this rule changes depending on where in the world you’re applying to work.

In Germany, France, and some other European countries, it’s standard practice to include a photo. Check what the national norms are before sending your resume to foreign employers.

Mistake 6: Including salary requirements or past salary details

Sharing either your past salary or your required salary gives the recruiter a straight-up advantage. They immediately know what you are ready to accept, which means they can low-ball you. What’s more, your resume is not the correct place to be negotiating. 

Keep any money talk off this document, and instead stick to showcases your education, experience, and skills. Should you hook the hiring manager’s interest, there will be plenty of time to discuss your salary requirements, plus any benefits, later down the line.

Mistake 7: Making your resume too long or too short

Generally speaking, your resume should be between one and two pages long. In some select circumstances, you can make it longer than that. For example, if you work in academia or a role in which submitting a longer-form resume is the industry norm. 

As a rule of thumb, if you’re early in your career, aim for a one-page resume. If you have a fair few years of experience under your belt, you can increase that to two pages. Above all else, make sure everything you include has value. This will help determine the length of your resume.

Mistake 8: Leaving in grammar or factual errors

Let’s say a recruiter receives 500+ resumes to sift through. They will be looking for any reason to immediately discard some of the applications. Minor errors, such as spelling or grammar mistakes, are precisely that. They can put your resume solidly in the ‘no’ pile. 

The problem is when you’ve been looking at the same document for hours on end, the mistakes are no longer obvious. Use a spellchecker first to pick up the obvious errors. You can also ask a friend to proofread your resume for you. That way, you can submit a clean document.

When you’ve finished writing your resume, check it for any out of date or wrong information. This should only take a few minutes, but it’s worth the effort. Open your LinkedIn profile, too, and check that everything on your resume lines up with the details there.

Mistake 9: Including unnecessary personal details

Unnecessary personal information has no place on your resume. One of the top resume mistakes is including too much information that the hiring manager really doesn’t need.

For example, you don’t need to detail the following things: 

Omitting these details not only frees up space, but it also shows you understand modern hiring practices. Including too much personal information can make you look out of touch.

Mistake 10: Copy-pasting the job advert description

You already know you want to tailor your resume to the job advert. However, copying and pasting the description onto your resume is not the way to go. Hiring managers will be able to see when you’ve crammed your resume full of keywords in unnatural places. 

Instead, you should integrate the keywords and phrases into the body of your resume naturally. Look for places you can switch out generic terms of synonyms with the keywords. This is the smartest way you impress the hiring manager and parse the ATS software.

Follow the above advice when working on your resume. That way, you can make sure your resume is ATS-friendly before you submit it online.

Check out the resume examples below to see what a well-designed, ATS-friendly format looks like:

Mistake 11: Weak or generic verbs and buzzwords

You don’t have to be Shakespeare to make your resume stand out from the crowd. One of the most common resume mistakes is using generic verbs or buzzwords. These are overused and will make your application sound like every other one out there. 

Swapping out generic terms for something more creative and specific is the way to go. It’s a small change, but it can make a huge difference in how the hiring manager sees you.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some simple switches you could make: 

Mistake 13: Saving it as the wrong file type or name

The file format you use could hinder the ATS software and mess up your chances. Word documents can trip up these programs and the formatting may change when they are viewed on different devices.

When in doubt, save your resume as a PDF. This is the format that works the best for ATS software and recruiters. The one exception is when the job advert specifically requests a different file type. In that case, follow their instructions.

Be sure to label your resume properly. Allways use this formula: First name + Last name + resume

Mistake 14: Poor formatting and design

Looks aren’t everything, but when it comes to your resume they are more important than you might think. When a hiring manager reviews your application, the first things they will notice is the design and formatting. If something is “off,” they could immediately discard your resume.

One of the easiest ways to perfect the design is to use one of our resume templates. We’ve done the hard work for you by creating well-formatted and designed frameworks you can use. Simply pick the one that works for you, and then input your resume information.

Mistake 15: Not mentioning career gaps or changes

Career breaks are becoming more and more normal. So, when it comes to your resume, there’s no need to try and hide them. Hiring managers will see that as a suspicious move.

You don’t need to go into loads of detail about your resume gaps, but you shouldn’t ignore them either. You can detail what you did during your career break in your work experience section and your summary.

Mistake 16: Including a basic or generic skill set

The skills section of your resume is your chance to showcase what makes you unique. Flooding it with generic or basic skills is one of the most notable resume fails.

Let’s take a look at some of the most basic skills you can list:

These words don’t tell the hiring manager what you can do or what value you bring to the team. Instead, list skills that are highly-relevant to the job and, wherever possible, that you can prove.

For example, if you’re a web designer, you’ll want to list the languages you use, e.g. “Python”. If you’re a digital marketer, you should include the type of campaigns you run, e.g. “PPC”.

Here's a far better example of a skills section:

Mistake 17: Overly creative section labels

You might think you’re being creative by calling your work experience section your ‘Professional life so far,” but it is a real mistake. ATS systems scan resumes using their headers. 

That’s how the software knows what to expect in each section. Overly creative labels could mean that the software can’t parse your resume and could even filter it out. 

If you want to avoid this resume mistake, don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Use standard resume headers throughout your document. That makes it easy for the hiring manager and the ATS.

Mistake 18: Not including measurable achievements

Your resume could be packed with bold statements, but if you’re not backing any of them up, they may not land. Adding metrics to your resume is a quick way to solve that problem. Include numbers, statistics, and timelines whenever you can to add value to your application.

Mistake 19: Weak or basic resume summary 

Your resume summary sits at the top of your resume, and is one of the most important sections. In a few sentences, you have to share what makes you different from every other candidate. If there’s nothing exceptional about this statement, it’s unlikely to impress the hiring manager. 

A strong resume summary tells the recruiter who you are professionally, what you bring to this specific role, and where you're headed. You need to write it in the first person without using pronouns, and tailor to the job you're applying for.

Mistake 20: Listing every job you've ever had

Including every role you’ve ever held, including part-time jobs, is one of the most common resume mistakes. This adds unnecessary length to your application without adding real value. 

Your resume should go back between 10 and 15 years, and only include jobs relevant to the vacancy. If you’re applying to be a journalist, your part-time job in a restaurant is not important. Be selective about the roles you choose to share on your resume. 

Action plan: Fix your resume mistakes today

Even the smallest of resume mistakes look like red flags and cost you opportunities. The competition is fierce, so your resume needs to be top-notch. By learning about the most common resume fails, you can work to avoid them. 

The plan is straightforward: go through your existing resume and see whether you’ve made any of these. Eliminating these errors is a quick way to increase your chances of success. 

Ready to write a mistake-free resume? Check out Jobseeker’s resume creation tool to get started quickly and easily. Simply pick the template that works for you, enter your details, and download a polished resume. You can easily pick a matching cover letter design and write a letter for any job you're applying for with the help of our AI-assisted cover letter builder.