6 Common Resume Mistakes You Need To Avoid

Are you sending out resumes left and right but have not heard anything back? Take a closer look at your resume. Chances are that you are making common resume mistakes that can be the difference between landing an interview and getting a rejection email. 

I am sharing six of the most common resume mistakes I see and providing tips on avoiding them so you can turn those noes into yeses.

#1 The Cut and Paste Resume

Cutting and pasting your job description onto your resume is a mistake, because it doesn't effectively showcase your accomplishments and skills in a way that is tailored for a specific job. When an employer reads a resume, they are looking for specific information about how the candidate's experience, skills, and accomplishments match the job requirements they are trying to fill. By cutting and pasting your job description, you are talking about the what but not the how.

Additionally, many job descriptions use acronyms and terms that may not be easily understood by recruiters and hiring managers unfamiliar with your field or company. And this can make it hard for them to understand how your experience is of value. If you are making them go to Google to figure out a word on your resume, that is a bad sign for you.

Instead, you will find it more effective to rephrase your job responsibilities and focus on specific achievements and accomplishments that demonstrate your skills and qualifications.

#2 The Let’s Try To Hide My Job Gap Resume

Many job seekers have gaps in their work history. This could be due to a layoff, health issues, or childcare/elder care needs. Life happens. But because there is concern that a career gap may be looked at poorly by the hiring team, there is a desire to hide it. Often, job seekers rely on a functional resume style to do this. Functional resumes are not in reverse chronological order. Instead, information is showcased by skills or another organization type. This way, a gap is less apparent.

But here is a secret. Recruiters and Hiring Managers hate this type of resume.

Why?

This can make it difficult for recruiters and hiring managers to understand the candidate's experience and qualifications in the context of jobs they have had and how the candidate's skills have been developed and applied over time. Without this information, it can make it harder for them to understand the candidate's qualifications and how they might fit into the open role.

Additionally, recruiters and hiring managers rely on the work experience section of a resume to understand the length and level of experience a candidate has in a specific field or industry. Functional resumes often do not provide this information, making it harder for the hiring team to determine if a candidate is a good fit for the role.

Also, many companies, especially larger ones, also use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that relies on keyword matching, which scans resumes for specific keywords that match the qualifications and experience listed in the job description. These systems may be unable to effectively scan functional resumes since the information is not organized in the standard way the system has been programmed.

So instead, keep your resume in reverse chronological order. Where there is a gap, you can add skills you learned during that period if relevant to the type of work you desire. If that is not an option, you can opt to add one sentence explaining the gap so the reader understands what occurred. 

Many Recruiters and Hiring Managers have gaps of their own in their work history, so you may find they are much less critical of others that have them.

#3 Don’t Use Your Parent’s Resume 

Are you including an objective statement and information about references? Twenty years ago, that was standard, but not on a modern resume. Here is why.

Objective statements: An objective statement is a sentence or two that states the specific job or career you are seeking. The problem with including an objective statement on your resume is that it is all about you and what you want. Unfortunately, in the hiring process, the hiring team is more interested in what they need. An objective statement is not critical information for the employer and can be seen as filler. Having it on your resume may take up valuable space that could be used for highlighting your experience and qualifications—what the employer is more interested in.

Instead, add a professional summary that provides the reader with information on why you would be a fit for the specific role.

References: Including "references available upon request" on your resume can be unnecessary and take up valuable space on your resume that could be used to highlight your skills and qualifications. It is better to wait until an employer specifically requests references and then provide them at that time. Always let your references know they may be contacted; that way, they can be prepared to recommend you strongly.

#4 Adding Your Most Recent Job to an Old Resume

While adding a recent position to an old resume and using this new version may be quicker, not editing the entire document is a bad strategy. Your resume may have outdated information, such as job titles, responsibilities, and technologies that are no longer relevant. Adding a recent position to an old resume can also appear inconsistent and confusing to recruiters and hiring managers.

Tailor a resume to the specific job you want. Suppose you add a recent position to an old resume. It may not include all the relevant information needed to show you are a good fit for the role, such as skills used in previous jobs or achievements relevant to the role. A well-crafted resume should highlight your most relevant skills and experiences in a way that aligns with the job description.

Lastly, if you are using a resume format that is not modern, you could be inadvertently adding to potential age bias. Make sure that you update resume formatting every two to three years, as what recruiters are looking for does change.

#5 Everything To Everyone Resume 

When recruiters and hiring managers see a resume that lists a wide range of skills and experience, it can make it difficult for them to understand the candidate's qualifications and how they might fit into the role. It can also make the candidate appear as a jack of all trades and a master of none.  This can be a red flag for recruiters as they want to hire a candidate with specific skills and experience that aligns with the role they are hiring for.

Also, showing that you can do anything on your resume can make you come across as someone who doesn't have a clear career direction or focus. This can make it harder for recruiters and hiring managers to understand how you can add value to their organization in the long term.

When highlighting your skills and experiences on your resume, it's important to be selective and strategic. You should focus on including only the most relevant and transferable skills that align with the specific job. This will make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to understand how your experience and qualifications align with the role and make you a stronger candidate for the job.

#6 It’s A Pretty But Overly Designed Resume

Resumes created using platforms like Etsy or Canva can be visually appealing. Still, they may not be suitable for the recruitment process and could negatively impact your chances of getting an interview. 

Resumes created using platforms like Etsy or Canva may not adhere to traditional formatting standards that recruiters and hiring managers are accustomed to, making them harder to read and interpret. Many of these resume templates are in two-column format, but most people are taught to read one column, left to right. This makes them more awkward to read.

This can make it more difficult for Applicant Tracking Systems to parse the information and recruiters and hiring managers to quickly and easily identify the most relevant information on the resume and make them less likely to call you for an interview. 

Many of these templates rely on graphics to make them eye-catching. Yet, any recruiter will tell you that content is what they look for when reading your resume. Fancy graphs and charts should only be used to enhance the written information to make it easier to understand. Remember, Applicant Tracking Systems cannot read graphic elements. So if you have your information in a pie chart but nowhere else in the resume, the ATS system cannot gather that information.

It's better to use a standard format compatible with ATS and recruiters and focus on tailoring your resume to the specific job you're applying for by highlighting your relevant skills and experience.

Your resume is often the first contact between you and a potential employer, and it's important to ensure that it is free of common mistakes that can hinder your job search. From old format elements to overemphasizing responsibilities and not highlighting accomplishments, these mistakes can be the difference between landing an interview and being passed over. 

By being aware of these common mistakes and taking the necessary steps to avoid them, you can increase your chances of standing out in a competitive job market and getting hired for the job you want. 

Best of luck with your job search!

Shelley Piedmont is a Career Coach who wants to help job seekers put their best foot forward by providing the tools for a successful job search. I help job seekers prepare for interviews. You can engage me to help you prep for any type of interview. Schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation.