Many resumes are not passed over because the candidate is unqualified. They are passed over because the document makes it hard to see that the candidate is qualified. A recruiter scanning dozens of applications will not dig for your best achievement if it is buried in a dense paragraph on page two.
The good news is that most resume mistakes are easy to fix once you know what to look for. Here are twelve of the most common, grouped by type, with a practical fix for each.
Content mistakes
1. Listing duties instead of achievements
"Responsible for managing client accounts" describes your job description. It does not tell the reader whether you did the job well.
Fix: For each bullet, ask yourself "so what?" What changed because you were there? Managed 30 client accounts and renewed all but two at the end of the contract year (a fictional example) says much more. If you cannot quantify, describe the scope or the outcome.
2. Sending one generic resume everywhere
A resume written for any job ends up convincing for none. Recruiters notice when the summary and skills have little to do with their posting.
Fix: Keep a master resume with everything in it, then create a tailored version for each application. Adjust the summary, reorder bullet points and make sure the key terms from the job ad appear where they honestly apply.
3. A vague or missing summary
Opening with "Hard-working professional seeking new challenges" wastes the most visible space on the page.
Fix: Write three or four specific lines: your title and level, your core strength, one concrete result and a link to the target role. See our guide on how to write a resume summary.
4. Including too much, or irrelevant, information
Every line on your resume competes for attention. Details from fifteen years ago, a full list of school subjects or hobbies that say nothing about you dilute your strongest content.
Fix: For each item, ask whether it helps the reader decide to interview you for this role. If not, shorten or remove it. Older roles can often be reduced to a single line.
5. Exaggerating or stretching the truth
Inflated job titles, rounded-up dates or skills you have only read about are risky. They tend to surface in interviews, in reference checks or during your first weeks in the job.
Fix: Be precise and confident rather than inflated. "Contributed to" is honest when you contributed; "led" is honest only when you led.
Language mistakes
6. Typos and grammatical errors
A single typo will not always disqualify you, but for roles involving writing, detail or client communication, it can be an easy reason to move on to the next application.
Fix: Proofread on paper or aloud, run a spell checker set to the right variety of English, US or UK, and ask someone else to read it. Pay special attention to the names of tools and employers.
7. Inconsistent tense, spelling or style
Mixing "organized" and "organised," switching between past and present tense, or alternating between full sentences and fragments makes a resume look unfinished.
Fix: Choose one spelling convention, use the past tense for previous roles and the present tense for your current one, and start every bullet the same way, ideally with an action verb.
8. Clichés and buzzwords
"Results-driven self-starter who thinks outside the box" has been written so many times that readers skip straight past it.
Fix: Replace each buzzword with evidence. Instead of "strong leadership skills," describe a moment when you led: the size of the team, the challenge and the result.
Layout mistakes
9. Dense, hard-to-scan formatting
Long paragraphs, tiny margins and small fonts make readers work too hard.
Fix: Use short bullet points, clear section headings, consistent spacing and a font size that stays readable when printed. Leave some white space. Our guide on resume layout and formatting goes into the specifics.
10. Design choices that break ATS parsing
Text inside images, multi-column layouts built with text boxes, skill-rating bars and meaningful icons can confuse applicant tracking systems. Your content may come through scrambled or incomplete.
Fix: Keep the structure simple, use standard section headings and export a text-based PDF. Run a quick check with an ATS checker before sending.
11. The wrong length
A three-page resume for a junior role, or one cramped page for someone with twenty years of relevant experience, both send the wrong signal.
Fix: As a general guide, aim for one page early in your career and up to two pages if you are an experienced professional. In the US, concision is especially valued; in the UK, a two-page CV is common. Academic CVs follow their own rules.
Practical mistakes
12. Missing or unprofessional details
An old phone number, an email address from your teenage years, a broken portfolio link or a file called "resume-final-v7-NEW.pdf" all create unnecessary friction.
Fix: Check every contact detail, test every link in the exported PDF, use a simple email address based on your name, and name your file clearly, such as "Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf."
While you are at it, consider what to leave out. In the US and UK, a photo, date of birth, marital status and full street address are generally not expected.
A quick self-review checklist
Before sending any application, go through this list:
- The summary is specific to this role.
- Each bullet starts with an action verb and shows a result or scope.
- Key terms from the job ad appear naturally.
- Spelling and tense are consistent throughout.
- The layout is clean, scannable and uses standard headings.
- The length matches your experience level.
- Contact details and links work.
- The file is a text-based PDF with a clear name.
If you are unsure whether your layout is working, starting from a tested design can save time. The five IdealCV resume templates use standard headings and selectable text, so you can concentrate on the content.
Key takeaways
- Show achievements and outcomes, not just duties.
- Tailor your resume to each role instead of sending a generic version.
- Proofread carefully and keep spelling, tense and style consistent.
- Choose a clean, scannable layout that ATS software can parse.
- Double-check contact details, links, length and file name before sending.