10 Resume Mistakes That Are Costing You Interviews (And How to Fix Them)

You have the right experience. You're qualified for the role. But you're not getting interviews.

After analyzing thousands of resumes through our ATS scanner, we've identified the 10 most common mistakes that prevent otherwise qualified candidates from landing interviews. The good news? Every single one is fixable in less than an hour.

Mistake #1: Using Creative Formatting

Your beautiful two-column resume with graphics and skill bars? ATS can't read it.

The Problem:

ATS systems read resumes from top to bottom, left to right. When you use:

• Multi-column layouts
• Tables for organization
• Text boxes
• Headers/footers for contact info

The ATS scrambles your information, often combining unrelated sections into nonsensical text.

Example of What ATS Sees:

The Fix:

• Use single-column layout - Everything flows top to bottom
• Move contact info to main body - Not in header/footer
• Remove all graphics and images - Use plain text only
• Save as PDF - To preserve formatting across systems

Quick Win: A simple, single-column resume in Arial or Times New Roman scores 30-40 points higher than a "creative" design resume.

Mistake #2: Not Matching Keywords from the Job Posting

If the job posting says "JavaScript" 10 times and you wrote "front-end programming," you won't match.

The Problem:

ATS doesn't do synonym matching. It looks for exact keyword matches. When you:

• Use different terminology than the job posting
• Abbreviate technical terms (JS instead of JavaScript)
• Assume your experience is "obvious" without stating it explicitly

You get a low keyword match score and get filtered out automatically.

Example:

The Fix:

1. Copy-paste the job description into a document
2. Highlight every required skill, tool, or qualification
3. Use the exact wording from the job posting in your resume
4. Include keywords 2-3 times naturally throughout your resume (skills section, work bullets, summary)

Mistake #3: Writing Job Descriptions Instead of Accomplishments

Your resume reads like a job description. That tells employers nothing about your impact.

The Problem:

Most resumes list responsibilities:

• "Responsible for managing social media accounts"
• "Handled customer inquiries and complaints"
• "Participated in team meetings"

These tell the employer what you were supposed to do, not what you actually achieved.

The Fix:

Use the Action + Result + Metric formula for every bullet point:

Rule of Thumb: If you can't quantify it with a number, percentage, or timeframe, rethink whether it's worth including.

Mistake #4: Using Generic, Vague Language

"Detail-oriented team player with strong communication skills" tells employers nothing about you.

The Problem:

Generic phrases like these appear on thousands of resumes:

• "Results-driven professional"
• "Excellent communication skills"
• "Works well under pressure"
• "Team player with attention to detail"

They're meaningless without context and waste valuable space.

The Fix:

Replace generic claims with specific proof:

Mistake #5: Including Irrelevant Information

Your resume should be a highlight reel, not an autobiography.

Remove These Immediately:

• Objective statements - They're outdated. Use a professional summary instead.
• High school information - If you have a college degree, remove high school.
• Hobbies/interests - Unless directly relevant to the job (e.g., "avid runner" for a role at Nike).
• References available upon request - This is assumed. It wastes space.
• Personal information - Age, marital status, photo (in the US), religion, etc.
• Outdated technical skills - Remove skills that are no longer industry-standard (Internet Explorer 6, Windows XP, etc.).

What to Keep:

• Relevant work experience (last 10-15 years)
• Education (degree, school, graduation year if recent)
• Skills directly related to the job
• Certifications and relevant training
• Measurable achievements from each role

Mistake #6: Typos and Grammatical Errors

One typo can cost you the interview. It signals carelessness.

Common Resume Typos We See:

• "Attention to detial"
• Inconsistent verb tenses (mixing past and present tense for old roles)
• Inconsistent formatting (some dates right-aligned, some left-aligned)
• Company name misspellings
• "Managed team of 5 peoples"

The Fix:

1. Use spell-check - But don't rely on it alone
2. Read your resume backwards - Start from the bottom and read each bullet in reverse order to catch errors
3. Read it out loud - Your brain will catch awkward phrasing
4. Use Grammarly or similar tools - Free version catches most errors
5. Have someone else review it - Fresh eyes catch what you miss
6. Check consistency - Date formats, bullet styles, font sizes

Mistake #7: Wrong File Format or File Name

"resume_final_FINAL_v3.docx" is not the file name you want a recruiter to see.

The Problem:

• Word docs (.docx) can render differently on different systems, breaking your formatting
• Generic file names like "resume.pdf" get lost when recruiters download 100+ resumes
• Weird characters or spaces in file names can break ATS upload systems

The Fix:

Always use this format: FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf

Examples:

• ✅ John_Smith_Resume.pdf
• ✅ Sarah_Johnson_Marketing_Resume.pdf
• ❌ resume (1).docx
• ❌ My Resume 2024 Final.pdf

Why PDF? PDFs preserve formatting across all devices and operating systems. Word docs can break when opened on different versions of Word or Google Docs.

Mistake #8: Employment Gaps Without Explanation

Unexplained gaps raise red flags. But explained gaps are often understandable.

The Problem:

When employers see:

They wonder: "What happened between March 2020 and September 2022?"

The Fix:

Address gaps briefly and professionally:

Note: You don't need to over-explain. One sentence is enough.

Mistake #9: Not Tailoring Your Resume for Each Job

Sending the same generic resume to every job is like wearing a tuxedo to a beach wedding.

The Problem:

Different roles prioritize different skills. Your generic resume might emphasize:

• Technical skills when the role wants leadership
• Individual contributor work when the role wants management experience
• B2C experience when the role is B2B-focused

The Fix:

Create a "master resume" with everything you've ever done, then customize for each application:

1. Read the job posting carefully - Identify the top 5-7 required skills
2. Reorder your bullet points - Put most relevant experience first
3. Adjust your professional summary - Mirror the language from the job posting
4. Update your skills section - Prioritize skills mentioned in the job description
5. Remove irrelevant experience - If you're applying for a data analyst role, your retail job from 10 years ago can be removed or minimized

Time Investment: Customizing each resume takes 10-15 minutes. But it increases your interview rate by 3-4x.

Need help with this? Read our detailed guide: How to Tailor Your Resume for Each Job in 15 Minutes

Mistake #10: Ignoring ATS Compatibility

You can have the perfect resume, but if ATS can't read it, you'll never get an interview.

The Problem:

75% of resumes are rejected by ATS systems before a human ever sees them. Most candidates don't even know their resume is ATS-incompatible until it's too late.

Common ATS Killers:

• Multi-column layouts
• Graphics, images, logos
• Fancy fonts (anything beyond Arial, Times New Roman, Helvetica, Georgia)
• Creative section headers ("My Journey" instead of "Work Experience")
• Contact info in headers/footers
• Text boxes
• Skill rating bars or charts

The Fix:

Before applying to any job:

1. Test your resume with an ATS scanner (like ours - link below)
2. Review the feedback - Look for formatting issues, missing keywords, parsing errors
3. Fix the issues - Simplify formatting, add missing keywords, remove problematic elements
4. Test again - Aim for a score of 80+ out of 100
5. Apply with confidence

Quick Checklist: Is Your Resume Mistake-Free?

Before you hit "submit" on your next application, run through this checklist:

The Bottom Line

Most resume mistakes are simple to fix. You don't need to completely rewrite your resume—just optimize what you already have.

The candidates who get interviews aren't necessarily more qualified. They just have resumes that:

• Pass ATS filters with proper formatting and keywords
• Prove their impact with quantifiable achievements
• Match the specific job they're applying for

Fix these 10 mistakes, and you'll be in the top 20% of applicants before anyone even reads your qualifications.