Even the most qualified candidates might face rejection due to seemingly minor resume mistakes. Not all resumes are perfect. Avoid common mistakes in resume writing to increase your chances of standing out and securing an interview.
9 Common Resume Mistakes
To help you land your next job, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the nine most common resume mistakes to avoid.
1. Having Spelling and Grammatical Errors
Spelling and grammar mistakes might seem small, but they can have a big impact. Think of your resume as your personal story. Just like typos in a favorite book, mistakes in your resume can be unappealing. Recruiters pay a lot of attention to these errors because they show how careful you are with your work.
Here are steps you can take to make sure your resume looks polished:
- Proofread Carefully: Go through your resume multiple times, focusing on different sections each time. It’s amazing how a fresh look can catch things you missed before.
- Use Helpful Tools: Tools like Grammarly and Spellcheck are like personal editors. They catch mistakes you might not notice and offer suggestions to improve your work.
- Get Another Opinion: Sometimes, fresh eyes can catch mistakes you didn’t see. Ask a friend or family member to review your resume or seek help from professional services.
2. Putting Incorrect Contact Information
Double-check every detail—your phone number, email address, and home address—ensuring they’re up-to-date and written correctly with no typos or missing characters.
Place your contact information at the top of your resume for easy access. Having contact information that is accurate and visible makes it easier for recruiters to contact you, increasing your chances of landing that interview.
3. Using an Unprofessional Email Address
A study by CareerBuilder found that 76 percent of resumes are thrown away because the email address is not professional.¹ Opting for a mature and relevant address demonstrates your seriousness and commitment to the job application process. Using an email address that includes your name or initials is a safe and professional choice, steering clear of anything that could be considered unprofessional or too informal.
A well-crafted email address indicates your understanding of professional norms and helps create a positive perception. Employers often appreciate candidates who pay attention to such details, as it showcases your professionalism and dedication right from the start of the application process.
4. Including Outdated or Irrelevant Information
Only include your best work experiences for the job you want. It’s pivotal to curate content that resonates with the role’s requirements, showcasing your strongest qualifications and achievements to make a lasting impression.
To maximize the effectiveness of your resume, consider:
- Strategic Prioritization: Highlight experiences and skills that correlate with the job description. Tailoring your content to clearly align with what the employer seeks presents you as an ideal fit for the role.
- Precision in Detailing: Focus on recent and pertinent work history that demonstrates your proficiency and expertise in the field and cut off jobs that can be tagged as irrelevant experiences. Also, emphasize accomplishments and responsibilities that directly contribute to the targeted position.
- Eliminating Non-Essentials: Steer clear of outdated or irrelevant details that dilute the impact of your resume. By excluding such information, you direct the recruiter’s attention to your most valuable assets, enhancing the clarity of your candidacy.
By aligning your resume’s content closely with the job’s requirements and not including irrelevant information, you craft a compelling narrative that resonates with recruiters, emphasizing your suitability and competence for the position.
Related Article: Seal the Deal: Crafting the Perfect Response to “Why Should We Hire You?”
5. Failing to Demonstrate and Quantify Results
Illustrating your accomplishments with quantifiable data is a powerful method for showcasing your impact. Instead of merely outlining your job duties, spotlight specific achievements with measurable outcomes, offering recruiters a clear view of your contributions.
For instance, focus on tangible results rather than stating you are experienced with project management, leadership, and customer service. Consider saying that you:
- Successfully led a project, resulting in a 20 percent increase in project efficiency, streamlining operations, and reducing project completion time by 15 percent.
- Implemented problem-solving strategies that minimized project delays by 30 percent as team leader, enhancing team productivity and meeting project milestones ahead of schedule.
- Received a 98 percent positive approval rating from customers you served in the previous company.
This approach captures recruiters’ attention and substantiates your ability to deliver tangible and quantifiable outcomes, emphasizing your value as a potential candidate. You vividly portray your capabilities by emphasizing measurable achievements, showcasing why you stand out among applicants.
6. Stuffing Too Many Buzzwords and Keywords
Integrating keywords into your resume is essential, but doing so naturally is the key to success. According to Mckinsey, 60 percent of recruiters say that the biggest mistake job seekers make on their resumes is using too many buzzwords.²
Avoid overloading your resume with forced or excessive keywords from job descriptions and job postings, as this can make it sound unnatural and raise red flags for recruiters. Balancing the use of keywords in a way that seamlessly fits within your content ensures your resume gets through applicant tracking systems while maintaining a genuine tone.
By strategically incorporating relevant keywords that organically align with your skills and experiences, you increase the chances of your resume getting noticed without sounding contrived or forced. This approach helps your resume stand out for the right reasons, showcasing your qualifications effectively to potential employers.
7. Including a Headshot
Unless the industry or job explicitly requires it, avoiding including a headshot in your resume is advisable. Usually, recruiters focus on your skills, experience, and qualifications rather than your appearance. Including a photo can introduce biases or distractions that could overshadow your professional credentials.
Therefore, it’s often best to exclude a headshot from your resume to maintain a clear, focused, and unbiased presentation of your qualifications. This allows your skills and expertise to take center stage, ensuring recruiters focus solely on your professional suitability for the position.
8. Using Dense Blocks of Text or Too Many Bullet Points
Achieving a balance between text and bullet points is essential for an effective resume. Instead of dense blocks of text or excessive bullet points, aim for a balanced approach. Use concise paragraphs to describe your qualifications, providing enough detail to showcase your skills and experiences without overwhelming the reader.
Additionally, utilize bullet points strategically to highlight key achievements, skills, and accomplishments, making it easier for recruiters to scan through your resume quickly. A good resume has a balanced combination of well-structured paragraphs and bullet points which ensures that your qualifications are presented clearly and succinctly, allowing recruiters to grasp your expertise without feeling overloaded with information.
9. Making the Resume Longer Than Two Pages
While there’s no hard-and-fast rule dictating resume length, it’s wise to aim for brevity and clarity. Limit your resume to two pages by prioritizing the most pertinent and recent experiences. Concentrate on showcasing your most relevant skills, achievements, and qualifications that directly align with the job you’re applying for.
Focusing on the essentials ensures that recruiters can quickly grasp your capabilities without being overwhelmed by unnecessary details. A concise and well-organized two-page resume often has a stronger impact than a lengthy document, allowing you to effectively highlight your strengths and suitability for the position.
Related Article: The Employed Job Seeker’s Dilemma: Can You Reach Out to a Recruiter?
GET HIRED WITH PEAK PERFORMERS
Are you a job applicant struggling to craft a flawless resume, or perhaps a seasoned employee looking for a career change? Peak Performers can support you in your job search. Our team of experts specializes in refining resumes and matching candidates with tailored job opportunities that suit their skills and aspirations.
Unlock the potential of your resume by partnering with Peak Performers. We offer personalized guidance to enhance your resume’s impact and ensure it stands out to potential employers. Let us assist you in navigating the competitive job market, connecting you with your ideal job role.
Contact Peak Performers today and take the first step towards securing your ideal job opportunity. Let our expertise empower your job search and elevate your chances of getting hired!
References
1 Three Simple Fixes to Stand out in a Flooded Job Market – LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com/pulse/three-simple-fixes-stand-out-flooded-job-market-thelions. Accessed 12 Dec. 2023.
2 Smet, Aaron De, et al. “The Great Attrition Is Making Hiring Harder. Are You Searching the Right Talent Pools?” McKinsey & Company, McKinsey & Company, 13 July 2022, www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-great-attrition-is-making-hiring-harder-are-you-searching-the-right-talent-pools
