Top 10 Common Resume Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Resume

Sep 22

Picture this: a resume filled with paragraphs so long they could be short stories, grammar errors galore, stretching to 20 pages, with logos, graphs, and a high school basketball teamwork award taking center stage. Your photo is right there next to your “Creative Thinker” self-title, and somehow, all the relevant experience is buried at the bottom. Sound familiar? If this feels a bit too close to home, you’re not alone! But don’t worry—we’re here to help clean it up.

Resumes can make or break your chances of getting that interview, and we’ve seen it all when it comes to resume mishaps. Let’s dive into the top 10 most common resume mistakes and, more importantly, how to avoid them.

1. Overstuffing Your Resume

Mistake: Your resume is packed with way too much information. Every job you’ve ever had, dating back to that summer lifeguard gig in high school, is listed.
Fix: Stick to the last 10-15 years of your most relevant experience. Keep your resume to 1-2 pages max.

2. Unfocused, Lengthy Paragraphs

Mistake: Your resume reads like an essay, with long-winded paragraphs that recruiters just won’t read.
Fix: Use bullet points. Be concise. Highlight achievements and key responsibilities in short, digestible pieces of information.

3. Grammar and Spelling Errors

Mistake: Typos and awkward grammar make your resume hard to read and show a lack of attention to detail.
Fix: Proofread multiple times and run your resume through tools like Grammarly. Better yet, have someone else review it too.

4. Using an Outdated Format

Mistake: Your resume looks like it was made in 1995. Fancy fonts, colors, and unnecessary formatting clutter the page.
Fix: Stick to a clean, modern format. Use one or two fonts, no fancy designs, and keep it professional and easy to scan.

5. Including Irrelevant Information

Mistake: Highlighting that high school basketball teamwork award, listing every volunteer event you’ve attended, or talking about hobbies like ‘avid Netflix watcher.’
Fix: Focus on your professional achievements and skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Save the personal tidbits for the interview.

6. Ignoring the ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

Mistake: Your resume is full of fancy words, unusual job titles, and lacks keywords from the job description. It’ll get lost in the ATS.
Fix: Tailor your resume to each job posting by using keywords that match the role. Keep it simple and use standard job titles and skills.

7. Highlighting Responsibilities Over Achievements

Mistake: Listing your job duties instead of showing how you made an impact. "Answered phones" doesn’t impress anyone.
Fix: Focus on results. Use action verbs like “achieved,” “implemented,” or “increased.” Show how your work benefited your team or company.

8. Inconsistent Formatting

Mistake: Your resume switches from bullet points to paragraphs, uses different fonts or font sizes, and has awkward spacing issues.
Fix: Keep the formatting consistent throughout. Use the same font, same size for headers and body text, and consistent bullet point styles. It should be clean and easy to follow.

9. Including Graphics, Logos, or Photos

Mistake: Adding a photo of yourself, company logos, or even charts and graphs to make your resume “stand out.”
Fix: Resumes are about your qualifications, not your design skills. Keep it simple—leave out photos, logos, and any unnecessary visuals.

10. Lack of Customization

Mistake: Sending out the same generic resume to every job application, without tweaking it to fit the specific role.
Fix: Customize each resume to match the job you’re applying for. Adjust the summary, skills, and relevant experiences to align with the job description.

Conclusion

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when creating a resume, but the good news is that fixing these common mistakes isn’t hard! By taking these small steps, you can transform your resume from a cluttered mess to a polished, professional document that truly represents you.

Need help getting started or want a professional to take it from here? Our Resumes Remade services are here for you. Whether you need a quick revision or a full overhaul, we’re ready to help you create a resume that stands out and gets you noticed. Reach out today, and let’s turn your resume into a job-winning tool!