Common Resume Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Most resume mistakes are easy to fix once you know what to look for. Here are the problems recruiters mention most often, grouped by type.

Content mistakes

1. Listing duties instead of achievements

Problem: Bullets like "Responsible for customer accounts" tell the reader nothing about how well you did.
Fix: Show results: "Managed 45 customer accounts and grew renewals by 12%." See the work experience guide.

2. A generic summary

Problem: "Motivated team player seeking opportunities" could describe anyone.
Fix: Name your role, experience and one specific strength. See resume summary examples.

3. One resume for every job

Problem: A generic resume misses what each employer asks for.
Fix: Tailor your summary, skills and top bullets for each application. The job description matcher helps you see gaps.

4. Including irrelevant or outdated information

Problem: Jobs from 20 years ago, unrelated hobbies and basic skills like "email" take space.
Fix: Keep what supports the job you want. Summarize or remove the rest.

5. Exaggerating or inventing

Problem: Inflated titles, skills you do not have and made-up numbers can be checked, and they erode trust.
Fix: Be accurate. Strong wording for real achievements is always better than impressive claims you cannot support.

Formatting mistakes

6. Hard-to-read layouts

Problem: Tiny fonts, narrow margins and dense paragraphs make readers skip content.
Fix: Use 10 to 12 point body text, clear headings, bullets and white space.

7. Inconsistent formatting

Problem: Mixed date styles, fonts and bullet shapes look careless.
Fix: Pick one style for each element and apply it everywhere. A template handles this for you.

8. Graphics that hide information

Problem: Skill bars, icons and text inside images cannot be read by applicant tracking systems and are hard to interpret.
Fix: Keep key information as plain text. See the ATS resume guide.

9. The wrong length

Problem: A three-page resume for an entry-level role, or a crammed single page for a senior role.
Fix: Read the one-page and two-page guides.

Detail mistakes

10. Typos and grammar errors

Fix: Read your resume out loud, use a spell checker, then ask someone else to read it.

11. Missing or wrong contact details

Fix: Check your phone number and email address carefully. Test every link.

12. An unprofessional email address

Fix: Use a simple address with your name.

13. Too much personal information

Fix: Leave out your date of birth, marital status, national ID numbers and full street address. Photo norms vary by country; see the resume photo guide.

14. Unclear file names and formats

Fix: Send a text-based PDF named with your name, unless the employer asks for Word. See resume file formats.

Final checklist

• Contact details are correct and in the main body
• Summary names your target role
• Bullets start with verbs and show results
• Formatting and dates are consistent
• No spelling or grammar errors
• Resume matches the key requirements of the job
• File is a text-based PDF with a clear name

Frequently asked questions