Avoid These Common Resume Mistakes

Your resume is your first impression with a recruiter or hiring manager, and the smallest mistake can make the difference between landing an interview or getting overlooked. System One recruiters view thousands of resumes each year, so we know exactly what stands out and what sends your application straight to the "no" pile.

Here are some of the most common resume mistakes we see, and how you can avoid them:

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

It sounds obvious, but simple spelling or grammar mistakes happen more often than you'd think and signal a lack of attention to detail. Always proofread your resume multiple times and, if possible, have someone else review it too. Tools like Grammarly can help catch what you might miss.

2. Using a One-Size-Fits-All Resume

Hiring managers can tell when you've sent the same resume to 50 companies. Tailor your resume for each role by aligning your skills and experience with the specific job description. Highlight accomplishments that match what the employer is looking for. Check out our resources on optimizing your resume for your role.

3. Focusing on Duties Instead of Achievements

A list of job responsibilities won't set you apart, but measurable achievements and impacts will. Use bullet points to showcase results like: Did you increase sales? Improve efficiency? Lead a project to success? Use numbers whenever possible to show impact.

4. Outdated or Unprofessional Formatting

A cluttered, hard-to-read resume can get tossed quickly. Use a clean, modern format with consistent fonts, clear section headings, and plenty of white space. Avoid overly flashy designs, unless you're in a creative industry where it makes sense. When submitting your resume online, it is best to upload a Word doc or a PDF.

5. Listing Irrelevant or Excessive Information

Hiring managers have a lot to look at, so relevant information must stand out. Remove old or irrelevant roles that don't add value to the position you're targeting. Stick to your last 10–15 years of experience; the rest can be summarized at the top of the page in your summary.

6. Not Including Keywords

Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes. If you're not using relevant keywords from the job description, your resume might never reach a real person. Read the posting carefully and include keywords naturally in your skills and experience sections. Explore this resource for optimizing your resume for applicant tracking systems.

7. Missing Contact Information

It happens more than you'd think: resumes without a phone number, email address, or LinkedIn profile. Make sure your contact information is up to date and easy to find at the top of your resume.

A strong, polished resume is the first step toward landing your next opportunity. If you want expert help, our recruiters at System One are here to guide you. Connecting with our recruiters is key to getting noticed, as they have exclusive relationships with hiring managers of large private and public organizations, meaning they know what hiring managers look for in resumes.

Connect with one of our recruiters on LinkedIn or submit your resume to partner with our recruiters.