Common Resume Mistakes To Steer Clear Of

Your resume might look perfectly fine to you.

It has your work history, education, skills and contact details. You have checked the spelling, saved it as a PDF and started applying for jobs.

So why aren't you hearing back?

As a professional resume writer, I see the same resume mistakes again and again. And the frustrating thing is that many of them are incredibly easy to fix.

Whether you are a mum returning to work, getting back into the workforce after a career break, changing careers or simply applying for your next opportunity, your resume needs to do more than list where you've worked.

It needs to quickly show an employer what you can do, what you've achieved and why you are relevant to the role.

Here are 10 of the most common resume mistakes I see.

1. Using the same resume for every job

This is probably one of the biggest mistakes job seekers make.

It is tempting to create one resume and send it to every employer. After all, who has time to rewrite their resume for every application?

But a generic resume can make it difficult for a recruiter to see why you are a good match for their particular position.

Instead, look carefully at the job advertisement and identify the skills, experience and keywords the employer is looking for.

Your resume should then be tailored to highlight your most relevant experience.

Think relevance, not repetition.

2. Starting with a weak professional summary

Your professional summary is often one of the first sections an employer will read.

Yet I regularly see summaries that say things like:

"Hardworking and reliable individual seeking an opportunity to utilise my skills and experience."

There is nothing necessarily wrong with being hardworking or reliable, but this doesn't tell the employer much about what you actually bring to the role.

A stronger professional summary should quickly communicate your experience, key strengths, areas of expertise and the type of value you can offer.

It should answer the question:

“Why should I keep reading?”

3. Listing duties instead of achievements

A resume shouldn't simply be a job description.

For example:

Answered phones and responded to customer enquiries.

This tells an employer what you did.

But whenever possible, your resume should also demonstrate how well you did it.

Could you mention the volume of customers you assisted? Did you improve a process? Train new staff? Resolve difficult complaints? Meet sales targets? Receive positive feedback?

Achievements give your resume evidence.

You don't need impressive awards or huge statistics for every position. Sometimes the everyday things you did well are exactly what demonstrate your value.

4. Making your resume too long

More information doesn't automatically make a resume better.

I often see resumes containing several pages of information that isn't particularly relevant to the job being applied for.

Your resume should provide enough detail to demonstrate your suitability without overwhelming the reader.

Ask yourself:

“Does this information help demonstrate why I am suitable for the role?”

If it doesn't, it may not need to be there.

This is particularly important if you have a long employment history. You don't necessarily need to give equal space to every job you've ever had.

5. Using complicated formatting

A visually impressive resume isn't necessarily an effective resume.

Lots of graphics, text boxes, columns, icons, tables and decorative elements can make your resume harder for both recruiters and Applicant Tracking Systems, or ATS, to read.

An ATS-friendly resume should generally use a clear structure, straightforward headings and readable formatting.

You want your resume to look professional without allowing the design to distract from your experience.

Your content should be the star of the show.

6. Including too many generic skills

Another common mistake is creating a huge skills section filled with generic terms.

For example:

• Hardworking

• Reliable

• Friendly

• Team player

• Punctual

• Good communication skills

These qualities aren't necessarily bad, but almost every applicant could say the same thing.

Instead, focus on skills that are genuinely relevant to the position.

For example, depending on your experience, this might include:

• Customer relationship management

• Stakeholder communication

• Administration

• Case management

• Conflict resolution

• Microsoft Office

• Scheduling and diary management

• Records management

• Sales and customer service

Your skills section should help an employer understand what you can actually do.

7. Forgetting about keywords

If you're applying for jobs online, keywords matter.

Employers may use an Applicant Tracking System to help manage applications, and relevant keywords from the job advertisement can help ensure your resume clearly communicates your suitability.

That doesn't mean copying the entire job advertisement into your resume.

Instead, look for important skills, qualifications, software, job titles and areas of expertise that genuinely match your experience.

For example, if an advertisement repeatedly refers to customer service, administration, Microsoft Office and stakeholder communication, make sure your resume naturally reflects those areas if they are part of your background.

8. Trying to hide a career gap

If you've taken time away from paid employment to raise your children, care for a family member, study or deal with other personal circumstances, you may feel uncomfortable about a gap in your employment history.

You don't need to panic.

A career break doesn't automatically make you a poor candidate.

The key is presenting your career history clearly and focusing the resume on the experience, skills and qualifications that are relevant to your next role.

For mums returning to work, this can be particularly important.

You don't need to write an entire explanation of your personal life. Your resume should remain professional and focused on your employability.

9. Using outdated information

If your resume still contains an old email address, outdated qualifications, irrelevant technology or information from jobs you haven't held for many years, it may be time for a refresh.

Your resume should reflect where you are in your career now.

That doesn't mean deleting your entire employment history.

Instead, consider which experience is most relevant to your current career goals and give that experience the attention it deserves.

Your resume should move your career story forward, not simply document everything you've ever done.

10. Not proofreading your resume

This sounds obvious, but spelling and grammar mistakes still appear in resumes all the time.

A single typo probably won't automatically cost you a job. However, multiple errors can make your application look rushed or poorly prepared.

Before submitting your resume, check:

• Spelling

• Grammar

• Dates

• Job titles

• Company names

• Phone number

• Email address

• Formatting

• Page breaks

• Consistency

• File name

And don't rely entirely on spellcheck.

Read your resume carefully from beginning to end. Better yet, ask someone else to read it.

A fresh pair of eyes can spot mistakes you have become blind to after looking at the same document repeatedly.

The biggest resume mistake?

Trying to make your resume say everything instead of making it say the right things.

Your resume isn't supposed to tell your entire life story.

It is a marketing document designed to introduce you to an employer and demonstrate why you deserve consideration for the role.

That can be particularly challenging when you've been out of the workforce for a while or you're not sure how your previous experience fits into your next career move.

And that's where professional resume writing can help.

A good resume writer doesn't simply make your resume sound better. They help identify your strengths, improve the structure, highlight relevant experience and create a clear career story that is tailored to the roles you're targeting.

Ready for a resume refresh?

If you read through these 10 mistakes and thought, “Yep, my resume probably needs some work,” you're definitely not alone.

At Karen's Job Services, I create personalised, ATS-friendly resumes and cover letters for job seekers who want to feel confident when they hit apply.

Whether you're a mum returning to work, changing careers, getting back into the workforce after a career break or simply ready for a better opportunity, I'll help turn your experience into a resume that actually sells your strengths.

Don't let an outdated or generic resume hold you back from your next opportunity.

Book your professional resume and cover letter service today and let's get your resume working harder for you.