Your CV/resume is usually the first handshake with an employer. You could blow your whole application — make a typo, have a formatting issue, etc., and instantly go to the “no” pile of applications. A recruiting manager told me a story of rejecting a resume from an individual who was extremely qualified for a position because there was an obvious spelling error. The competition for jobs is tough, so you want to make sure nothing is bogging down your resume that could prevent you from landing an interview. This article covers common mistakes found in resumes and how to write a good own resume.
Mistake 1: Spelling and Grammar Errors on Your Resume
Common details and poor grammar can also give the impression that you rushed. Just think, all that time spent reworking your work experience, and then the recruiter gets a typo before they see how awesome you are. Studies show 4 in 5 Hiring Managers Throw Out Resumes with Obvious errors. One engineer friend of mine thought “received” was a good substitute for “recycled”, but the recruiter had a different opinion and continued.
How to fix it:
- Spell and Grammar Check on Your Word Processor Always Running
- Read your resume out loud (or print it) to see mistakes you may not have seen while on screen
- First, get someone you trust and deeply respect-a friend or mentor-to read the resume; fresh eyes often catch what you miss.
- You could also use a writing assistant like Grammarly to correct sentence construction.
Mistake 2: Not Tailoring Your Resume
Using One Resume For Every Job Opportunity Will Hurt You In The End. Every job opportunity is different, and a template resume can appear scattered. Like, there was this one time I saw a candidate apply for a marketing job, but used a resume that was optimized for tech jobs (with nary a mention of her social media campaigns or design skills and suddenly hiring managers have nowhere to peg you!) The issue is that, if your resume is not easily read, you could be eliminated from consideration before a human even has an opportunity to look at it — many companies use the applicant tracking systems (ATS) today.
How to fix it:
- Read the job description closely jot down key words (skills, tools, qualifications)
- Change out your resume summary and bullet points to include those keywords so that relevant experience stands out at the top.
- This can be iterations of the same resume, or different sections on a single resume that are removed or moved up/down depending on what does or doesn’t work for you (highlighting skills isn’t usually as important, but it’s still good to do, obviously).
- Your resume is like an advertisement: it should convey exactly how you are the answer to the business’s issues.
Mistake 3: Poor Resume Formatting and Layout
Your resume can have the greatest content in the world, but if it is hard to read, it will not matter. Resumes often get skimmed, so a clean and organized layout is needed. Also, it was a huge block of text in the tiniest font you can imagine with absolutely no section headers — and not even at the top of the resume could I find out her name. A messy layout can hide your assets. Additionally, some fancy templates or headers could trip up applicant tracking systems (ATS), which read resumes to look for keywords.
- Keep to a plain font (e.g., Arial, Calibri) and normal size (10 — 12pt).
- Break your resume into distinct sections (Contact, Summary, Experience, Education, Skills). Bold Headings Bullet Points
Note: Design continuity is key — same header font, body text font, left/right margins. - Stick to one or two pages. (Recruiters, as a rule of thumb, like short resumes because they mostly read resumes not in-depth — long paragraphs or oversized apps are often questionable).
- Make sure everything is visible and nothing gets cut off, not just on the computer display but also on mobile devices.
Mistake 4: Vague Descriptions, No Achievements
You should never list job duties without results. That you were responsible for customer service is weak; numbers make your story, and that you answered to X employees, reported directly to Y department; I was in charge of all overseas suppliers, which really does tell the story better. Instead, opt for “managed a 5-person customer service team and increased satisfaction ratings by 20%”. Resumes with specific numbers in them improve your chances of getting an interview by around 40%, according to industry experts. Employers are drawn to numbers, including percentages, dollar amounts, or time saved.
- Strong action verbs (e.g., achieved, increased, implemented…). Don’t be vague like “responsible for”. Be specific.
- Quantify your results whenever appropriate (e.g., “drove 30% efficiency,” “quadrupled client base from 50 to 200”)
- Focus on achievements over tasks. Attention goes to the projects or the results that show your value.
- Impact focused on how your work benefited the team or company – ex, “saved $10,000 annually by refining a process,” or “decreased errors by 15% via training improvements”)
Mistake 5: Wrong or Missing Contact Information on Your Resume
Yes, your resume may well be perfect; however, if a recruiter cannot get in touch with you, it will likely be hopeless. You may be surprised to hear that payers constantly come across resumes with an old phone number, a random Gmail alias, or a missing email address in 2021. I have seen a candidate who missed listing the “dot” in between their email address, and hence all emails from the recruiter bounced back. A hiring manager once told me that he threw away a resume from a “partytime@example.com” email for being unprofessional.
- Verify that your contact info (phone #, email, or city/location) is up to date.
- Keep Your Voicemail Sounding Professional and Your Email Not Blocked.
- Have an email address (such as firstname.lastname@domain.com). If You Do Not Have a Gmail (Create One for Job Applications)
- Should not span over to mention personal details, i.e., your Marital status, age,gphoto(Unless the employer asks for one)
BONUS TIP: Delete All The Useless Information
Your resume evolves alongside you. Do not include skills or experiences that are irrelevant. If including an item like “Proficient in Flash animation,” or a high school leadership role from 10 years ago, detracts from your contemporary qualifications, leave those out. Similarly, long-winded “objective” statements (such as — Established and successful track record with solid hands-on experience… Looking to learn and grow) are typically a relic of the past — what you want means nothing to the hiring people, they only care about how you can benefit them.
Quick fixes:
- Delete ancient positions or skills that no longer exist. Well up-to-date tools or, better yet — certification rather.
- Don’t, for example, include hobbies or interests unless relevant (volunteer work, language skills). Cut out anything that does not help your business or professional self.
- Update Links (Linkedin, Portfolio)
Conclusion by Buzzindie
Your resume is your first impression. Prevent these pitfalls to make your application unique and noteworthy.
- Typos & Grammar Errors: You Look Sloppy.
- Bad: Generic resume — Does not prove your compatibility with the role
- Poor formatting: Hides your achievements.
- Unclear adjectives: Do not demonstrate your influence.
- Wrong contact info = lost opportunities.
So, now exhumes your resume. Follow these advice to give it a finishing touch and you can also get feedback from friends or mentors. Use these insights and get your resume updated today. Then share with a coworker or career coach for feedback. Just a small effort now can get you larger career opportunities in the future.
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