Common Resume Mistakes And How To Fix Them
Your resume is your first impression—your one shot at grabbing a recruiter’s attention in a sea of applicants. But if you’re sending out applications and not hearing anything, it’s time for a resume check.
Many professionals, especially early in their careers, make simple but costly mistakes that keep them from landing interviews. But these mistakes are completely fixable—and fixing them fast could mean the difference between being overlooked and landing your dream job.
Let’s break down the biggest resume mistakes and, more importantly, how to fix them ASAP.
🚩 1. Your Resume Reads Like a Job Description
Too often, resumes are just lists of responsibilities:
“Managed social media accounts.”
“Handled customer service calls.”
“Worked on marketing campaigns.”
These statements don’t tell hiring managers anything about your impact. Recruiters don’t just want to know what you did—they want to see how well you did it.
✅ How To Fix It:
Instead of just listing tasks, highlight your achievements. Use metrics and results to show your contributions:
“Grew LinkedIn engagement by 45% in six months, driving a 30% increase in inbound leads.”
“Resolved an average of 50 customer complaints per day with a 98% satisfaction rating.”
Pro Tip: Think about the impact of your work. Ask yourself: did I save the company time or money? Did I improve a process or launch something new?
🚩 2. You’re Using Overused Buzzwords
If your resume is packed with phrases like:
“Hardworking professional”
“Results-driven leader”
“Excellent communication skills”
… you may consider editing it now.
These phrases sound good in theory, but in reality, they don’t say anything concrete about your abilities. Hiring managers have likely seen them a million times.
✅ How To Fix It Fast:
Instead of telling them you have great communication skills, show them:
“Presented a marketing strategy to senior leadership, securing a $100K campaign budget.”
“Negotiated vendor contracts, reducing company costs by 15%.”
Whenever you’re tempted to write a buzzword, replace it with an example that proves your skills in action.
🚩 3. Your Resume Isn’t ATS-Friendly
You might have the perfect experience, but if your resume isn’t formatted correctly, an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) might filter it out before a recruiter even sees it.
Common ATS mistakes include:
Using fancy fonts or graphics
Saving your resume in an unreadable file format
Overcomplicating section headings
✅ How To Fix It Fast:
Use simple, professional fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman).
Use clear section headings (like “Work Experience” instead of “Professional Journey”).
Avoid columns and excessive formatting—ATS systems may not process them correctly.
If your resume isn’t ATS-friendly, it might never even reach a recruiter. Make sure it’s easy to read and properly formatted.
🚩 4. You’re Undervaluing Yourself
One of the biggest mistakes young professionals make? Downplaying their accomplishments.
If you’ve ever thought:
“I was just an intern, so I don’t have much to say.”
“I don’t have leadership experience.”
“I only did what was expected of me.”
… it’s time to shift your mindset. Every role has value. You’ve gained skills, contributed to projects, and solved problems.
✅ How To Fix It Fast:
Think beyond your official job title. Did you take the initiative on a project? Mentor a new hire? Improve a process? Those things matter!
Keep a running list of achievements. Even small wins—like helping streamline a system or improving efficiency—should be tracked.
Own your impact. If you don’t highlight your value, no one else will.
You don’t need to have been a manager to show leadership skills. If you led a project, trained a colleague, or helped a team reach a goal, that’s leadership in action!
Need a second opinion on your resume?
We find the right person for the right job. Contact us today: contact@riverway.jobs.
