10 Resume Mistakes That Are Costing You Interviews (And How to Fix Them)
Discover the most common resume mistakes that get applications rejected. Learn what hiring managers actually look for and how to fix these errors to start landing more interviews.
You’ve polished your resume for hours. You’ve applied to dozens of jobs. Yet the interviews aren’t coming. What gives?
Often, it’s small mistakes that trip up job seekers. Errors that seem minor but signal red flags to recruiters. Here are the ten most common resume mistakes we see, and exactly how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Using a Generic, One-Size-Fits-All Resume
The Problem: Sending the same resume to every job application.
Recruiters and ATS systems are looking for specific keywords and qualifications that match the job description. A generic resume rarely hits all the right notes.
The Fix:
For each application:
- Read the job description carefully
- Identify the key requirements and skills mentioned
- Adjust your resume to highlight relevant experience
- Mirror the language used in the posting
This doesn’t mean rewriting your entire resume each time. Focus on your professional summary, the order of bullet points, skills section alignment, and relevant keywords throughout.
Time vs. Impact: 10-15 minutes per application can dramatically increase your response rate. Generic resumes get generic results.
Mistake #2: Leading with Duties Instead of Achievements
The Problem: Describing what you were responsible for rather than what you accomplished.
These duty-focused bullets tell recruiters nothing about your impact:
| Instead of Writing… | Write This |
|---|---|
| “Responsible for managing a team of 5 sales representatives” | “Led team of 5 sales reps, exceeding quarterly targets by 23% for 8 consecutive quarters” |
| “Handled customer support inquiries” | “Resolved 50+ customer inquiries daily with 98% satisfaction rating, reducing escalations by 35%” |
| “Managed social media accounts” | “Grew Instagram following from 5K to 50K in 12 months, increasing website traffic by 40%” |
The Fix:
Transform every bullet point using this formula: Action Verb + Task + Result/Metric
Pro Tip: If you don’t have exact numbers, use estimates or ranges. Something quantified is always better than nothing.
Mistake #3: Burying Your Best Qualifications
The Problem: Putting the most impressive or relevant information deep in your resume.
Recruiters spend an average of 6-7 seconds on initial resume screening. If your best qualifications aren’t immediately visible, they’ll be missed.
The Fix:
Structure your resume with the most important information first:
| Priority | What to Include |
|---|---|
| 1 | Contact information at the very top |
| 2 | Professional summary with your strongest selling points |
| 3 | Most recent/relevant experience prominently placed |
| 4 | Key achievements as the first bullet points under each role |
| 5 | Relevant skills easy to scan |
Remember: For each role, lead with your most impressive accomplishments, even if they’re not the most recent activities.
Mistake #4: Including Irrelevant Information
The Problem: Cluttering your resume with information that doesn’t help your candidacy.
Common culprits to remove:
| Remove This | Why |
|---|---|
| Jobs from 15+ years ago | Unless highly relevant to the role |
| High school information | If you have a college degree |
| Personal interests | Unless specifically relevant |
| “References available upon request” | This is assumed |
| Full street address | City and state are sufficient |
| Objective statements | Replaced by professional summaries |
The Fix:
Ask yourself: “Does this information help prove I’m qualified for THIS job?”
If not, remove it. Use that space for relevant achievements instead.
Key Principle: Every line on your resume should earn its place.
Mistake #5: Poor Formatting and Visual Hierarchy
The Problem: A resume that’s difficult to scan or looks unprofessional.
Warning signs:
- Walls of text without breaks
- Inconsistent fonts or sizes
- Unclear section headings
- Too much or too little white space
- Fancy graphics that confuse ATS systems
The Fix:
| Do This | Avoid This |
|---|---|
| Clear, bold section headings | Unclear or missing headers |
| 1-2 professional fonts | Multiple decorative fonts |
| Bullet points for experience | Long paragraphs |
| Consistent spacing | Cramped or uneven layout |
| Standard 0.5-1 inch margins | Tiny margins to fit more |
| 1-2 pages maximum | 3+ page novels |
Why It Matters: A clean, scannable resume respects the recruiter’s time and makes your qualifications easy to find.
Mistake #6: Typos and Grammatical Errors
The Problem: Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or inconsistencies that signal carelessness.
In a competitive job market, typos can get your resume immediately rejected. They suggest you’ll bring the same lack of attention to detail to the job.
The Fix:
- Use spell check (but don’t rely on it alone)
- Read your resume out loud
- Read it backwards, word by word, to catch errors
- Have someone else proofread it
- Check for consistency in dates, formatting, and punctuation
- Verify company and job title spellings
Common errors to watch for:
| Error Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Apostrophe confusion | It’s vs. its |
| Homophone mix-ups | Their vs. there vs. they’re |
| Date format inconsistency | 2020-2023 vs. Jan 2020 - Dec 2023 |
| Punctuation issues | Missing periods, inconsistent use |
Mistake #7: Using Vague or Buzzword-Heavy Language
The Problem: Relying on clichés and buzzwords that say nothing specific.
Overused terms that make recruiters’ eyes glaze over:
- “Results-driven professional”
- “Team player”
- “Strong communicator”
- “Detail-oriented”
- “Self-starter”
- “Think outside the box”
The Fix: Replace vague claims with specific evidence.
| Buzzword | Evidence-Based Alternative |
|---|---|
| “Results-driven sales professional” | “Exceeded sales quota by 25% for 6 consecutive quarters, generating $1.2M in new business” |
| “Strong communicator” | “Presented quarterly reports to C-suite executives and led training sessions for 50+ new hires” |
| “Detail-oriented” | “Maintained 99.7% accuracy rate across 10,000+ monthly transactions” |
Golden Rule: Show, don’t tell.
Mistake #8: Not Tailoring for ATS
The Problem: Using formatting or keywords that ATS systems can’t parse properly.
Your resume might be perfect for human eyes but completely unreadable to the software that screens it first.
The Fix:
| ATS Best Practice | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Use standard section headings | ATS looks for “Experience,” “Education,” “Skills” |
| Avoid tables and text boxes | Many ATS systems can’t read these |
| Keep info out of headers/footers | Often ignored by parsing software |
| Include job description keywords | Improves your match score |
| Use both terms and acronyms | “Project Management Professional (PMP)” |
| Save as .docx or .pdf | Follow the posting’s instructions |
Quick Test: Copy and paste your resume into a plain text document. If it becomes jumbled, an ATS will struggle too.
Mistake #9: Gaps and Red Flags Without Explanation
The Problem: Unexplained employment gaps or job-hopping patterns that concern recruiters.
What hiring managers notice:
- Gaps longer than a few months
- Multiple short stints (under a year)
- Demotions or lateral moves
- Inconsistent career progression
The Fix:
You don’t need to explain everything, but address obvious concerns:
| Situation | How to Address It |
|---|---|
| Employment gaps | Include freelance, consulting, or volunteer work. Note education pursuits. Brief parenthetical: “Career break for family caregiving” |
| Job-hopping | Group short contract roles together. Focus on skills gained rather than tenure. Address in cover letter if needed |
| Demotions or lateral moves | Emphasize skills gained. Note if strategic: industry change, work-life balance |
Mistake #10: Missing Contact Information or Hard-to-Find Details
The Problem: Making it difficult for recruiters to contact you or understand your background.
Surprisingly common issues:
- No phone number or email
- Unprofessional email address
- Missing LinkedIn URL
- Location completely omitted
- Name buried in header (ATS can’t read it)
The Fix:
At the very top of your resume (not in a header), include:
| Must Have | Best Practice |
|---|---|
| Full name | Larger font, bold |
| Phone number | Current and checked regularly |
| Professional format: firstname.lastname@email.com | |
| Location | City, State (full address not needed) |
| Customize URL to remove random numbers | |
| Portfolio/Website | If relevant to your field |
Make it effortless for recruiters to reach you.
Bonus: The Quick Resume Audit
Run through this checklist before sending any application:
Content
- Tailored to the specific job
- Achievements over duties
- Quantified results where possible
- No irrelevant information
- Keywords from job description included
Format
- Clean, consistent formatting
- Easy to scan (6-second test)
- ATS-compatible structure
- Appropriate length (1-2 pages)
- Contact info clearly visible
Polish
- Zero typos or grammatical errors
- Consistent punctuation and formatting
- Professional language (no buzzwords)
- Gaps addressed or explained
- Saved in correct format (.docx or .pdf)
Key Takeaways
- Customize for every application - Generic resumes get generic results
- Lead with achievements - Show impact, not just responsibilities
- Put best info first - You have 6 seconds to impress
- Cut the fluff - Every line must earn its place
- Format for scanning - Clean and consistent wins
- Proofread obsessively - Typos kill applications
- Show, don’t tell - Replace buzzwords with evidence
- Optimize for ATS - Make sure your resume gets seen
- Address red flags - Don’t leave gaps unexplained
- Make contact easy - Don’t make recruiters search for your info
Fix Your Resume in 60 Seconds
Stop wondering if your resume has hidden mistakes. ReviseCV analyzes your resume against job descriptions, identifies issues, and helps you create an optimized version that actually gets past ATS screening and impresses recruiters.
Analyze your resume now → and see exactly what to fix.