After reviewing thousands of resumes, we've identified the most common mistakes that immediately disqualify candidates. These errors are easy to fix but can cost you interviews if left unaddressed. Here are the 7 most critical resume mistakes and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Typos and Grammatical Errors
This might seem obvious, but typos remain the #1 reason resumes get rejected. A single typo signals carelessness and lack of attention to detail—qualities no employer wants.
Common Typos to Watch For:
- • "Recieve" instead of "Receive"
- • "Seperate" instead of "Separate"
- • "Accomodate" instead of "Accommodate"
- • "Definately" instead of "Definitely"
- • Inconsistent verb tenses
Solution:
Read your resume aloud, use spell check, and have someone else review it. Tools like Grammarly can catch errors you might miss.
Mistake #2: Using Job Descriptions Instead of Achievements
Many candidates simply list their job duties rather than highlighting their accomplishments. Hiring managers want to see what you achieved, not just what you were supposed to do.
✗ Job Description:
"Responsible for managing social media accounts and creating content for company blog"
✓ Achievement:
"Grew social media following by 250% (from 5K to 17.5K) and increased blog traffic by 180% through strategic content creation"
Mistake #3: Including Irrelevant Information
Your resume should be tailored to the job you're applying for. Including irrelevant work experience, outdated skills, or personal information wastes valuable space and dilutes your message.
What to Remove:
- • High school information (if you have a college degree)
- • Jobs from 15+ years ago (unless highly relevant)
- • Hobbies and personal interests
- • Photos (unless specifically requested)
- • References or "References available upon request"
- • Objective statements (use professional summary instead)
Mistake #4: Poor Formatting and Design
While you want your resume to stand out, overly creative formatting can hurt more than help. Complex designs confuse ATS systems and make your resume harder to read.
- Too many fonts: Stick to 1-2 professional fonts
- Inconsistent spacing: Use uniform margins and spacing
- Hard-to-read colors: Stick to black text on white background
- Dense text blocks: Use bullet points and white space
- Too long: Keep it to 1-2 pages maximum
Mistake #5: Not Tailoring Your Resume
Sending the same generic resume to every job application is a recipe for rejection. Each application should be customized to match the job description.
How to Tailor Your Resume:
- • Update your professional summary to match the role
- • Reorder your skills to highlight relevant ones first
- • Emphasize relevant work experience
- • Include keywords from the job description
- • Adjust your achievements to match what they're looking for
Mistake #6: Missing Contact Information
It sounds basic, but many resumes are missing key contact information or have incorrect details. Double-check everything.
Essential Contact Information:
- ✓ Full name (professional, matches LinkedIn)
- ✓ Phone number (with area code, professional voicemail)
- ✓ Email address (professional, check for typos)
- ✓ Location (city and state, or "Remote")
- ✓ LinkedIn URL (customized, not the default)
- ✓ Portfolio/website (if relevant to your field)
Mistake #7: Ignoring ATS Compatibility
With 98% of Fortune 500 companies using ATS, ignoring compatibility means your resume might never reach human eyes.
ATS Compatibility Issues:
- • Using graphics, images, or tables
- • Non-standard section headings
- • Missing keywords from job descriptions
- • Scanned PDFs (images, not text-selectable)
- • Special characters and symbols
- • Headers and footers (may not be parsed)
Avoid These Mistakes with Resumedit
Our resume builder includes built-in spell check, ATS optimization, and formatting guidelines to help you avoid these common mistakes. Get started today and create a mistake-free resume.
Build Your Resume