7 Common Resume Mistakes That Are Costing You Interviews

The Silent Interview Killers

You've got the skills. You've got the experience. So why aren't you getting interviews? The answer might be hiding in plain sight - on your resume. Here are the seven most common mistakes we see, and how to fix them.

Mistake #1: The Generic Resume

The Problem: Sending the same resume to every job application.

Why It Hurts You:

• ATS systems look for job-specific keywords
• Recruiters can tell when a resume isn't tailored
• You miss opportunities to highlight your most relevant experience

The Fix: Customize your resume for each application. Match your language to the job description. Reorder your bullet points to lead with the most relevant achievements.

Mistake #2: Duties Instead of Achievements

The Problem: Listing job responsibilities instead of accomplishments.

Bad Example: "Responsible for managing social media accounts"

Good Example: "Grew Instagram following from 5K to 50K in 8 months, increasing website traffic by 35%"

The Fix: Use the formula: Action Verb + Task + Result. Quantify whenever possible. Show impact, not just activity.

Mistake #3: The Wall of Text

The Problem: Dense paragraphs that are hard to scan.

Why It Hurts You: Remember the 6-second scan? Recruiters won't read paragraphs. They scan for bullet points and keywords.

The Fix:

• Use bullet points consistently
• Keep bullets to 1-2 lines max
• Use white space strategically
• Lead with the most important information

Mistake #4: Irrelevant Information

The Problem: Including outdated or irrelevant experiences.

Examples:

• That summer job from college (if you're 10 years into your career)
• Skills everyone has (Microsoft Word, "great communicator")
• Hobbies (unless genuinely relevant)

The Fix: Everything on your resume should support your candidacy for THIS role. If it doesn't contribute to that goal, cut it.

Mistake #5: Missing Keywords

The Problem: Not including the specific terms from the job description.

Why It Hurts You: ATS systems and recruiters are looking for exact matches. If they want "project management" and you only wrote "managed projects," you might get filtered out.

The Fix:

• Review the job description carefully
• Identify key skills and requirements
• Incorporate those exact terms into your resume naturally

Mistake #6: Poor Formatting

The Problem: Using complex layouts, unusual fonts, or inconsistent formatting.

Common Issues:

• Multiple columns that confuse ATS
• Decorative fonts that aren't parsed correctly
• Inconsistent date formats or bullet styles
• Missing contact information

The Fix: Keep it simple. Use a clean, single-column layout. Stick to standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Georgia. Be consistent throughout.

Mistake #7: No Professional Summary

The Problem: Jumping straight into work experience without context.

Why It Hurts You: You miss the opportunity to frame your candidacy and capture attention immediately.

The Fix: Include a 2-3 sentence professional summary at the top. State your professional identity, your key qualifications for THIS role, and what you bring to the table.

Example: "Senior Software Engineer with 8 years of experience building scalable web applications. Expert in React and Node.js with a track record of leading teams to deliver complex projects on time. Seeking to bring my technical leadership and full-stack expertise to a growing fintech company."

The IdealResume Solution

Catching all these mistakes on your own is hard. That's why we built our Resume Scoring feature. Upload your resume and a job description, and we'll:

• Identify missing keywords
• Flag formatting issues
• Highlight areas where duties should be achievements
• Show you exactly how to improve

Stop sabotaging your job search. Let IdealResume help you put your best foot forward with every application.

Your Next Step

Take one of your recent resumes and audit it against this list. How many of these mistakes are you making? Even fixing one or two can significantly improve your callback rate.

Better yet, let IdealResume analyze it for you. You might be surprised what you find.