8 Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid

Have you ever felt like you were the perfect candidate for a job opening, but then you just didn’t get a call from the hiring manager?

Sometimes, it’s not you — it’s your resume. 

Simple resume mistakes are often the culprits behind rejected job applications. You don’t want to be the ideal contender with the wrong resume. Because the right resume is bound to take you places in your career, AdCulture is here to discuss the eight common mistakes to avoid. 

Let’s dive right in!

1. Using the Same Resume for Every Job Application

So, you’ve put together an exemplary-looking resume — but is it perfect for the specific role that you’re applying for? 

Using the same one for every job opening is one of the most common resume mistakes.  Remember to adjust your resume to suit the particular position you’re applying for. This means using keywords that match the job posting as much as possible. 

Every job is different, whether they’re in similar industries or not. Highlighting your skills accordingly will increase your chances of coming across as the right fit. 

2. Creating a Minimal-Effort Resume

Your resume has to grab attention and be visually pleasing. To convince hiring managers to actually look through it, ensure that it’s readable and flows smoothly. 

These are some important elements that will make your resume easy on the eyes:

1. Correct spelling and grammar
2. An organized format
3. Concise headings and corresponding information 
4. A clean and neat-looking font

3. Writing a Boring Career Summary

The career summary is usually the first thing that recruiters look at. Think of this summary as a movie trailer. If the trailer isn’t convincing, would you want to watch the whole movie?

This part should spark curiosity and persuade them to read all the details of your application. Instead of simply describing yourself as dynamic, hard-working, and strategic, provide an anecdote that speaks for itself. 

Here’s what you should consider including:

1. The number of years of experience that you have in the field;
2. The skill that you’ve mastered through your work with tangible examples (i.e. produced blog content and successfully increased web traffic for 20+ brands in the fashion industry); and
3.  A career highlight that you’re most proud of (i.e. authored 200+ viral blog posts that boosted brand awareness).

4. Not Highlighting Your Skills and Accomplishments

Highlighting your skills and accomplishments shouldn’t stop at the summary. Include such elements under each job experience listed when applicable.

Instead of simply listing your duties at the companies you’ve worked at, point out how you’ve made a difference (i.e. managed content ideation and developed content strategies for 20+ brands that significantly elevated blog performance by 92%).

5. Being Ambiguous

How many months or years have you spent at each of your jobs? Leaving out important details  like this is one of the biggest resume mistakes, as it tends to make the information seem vague or even fake. Convince recruiters by always including important quantifiable details. 

Instead of saying “produced blogs for many brands,” state the particulars. You can say “produced monthly blogs for 20+ brands in the fashion industry,” and it will sound more credible than being too general or ambiguous. 

6. Using a Passive Voice

The voice you use in your resume can make or break you. In addition to keeping your tone professional, utilizing an active voice will always seem more effective. This is because it makes way for a brief and more uniform explanation of details. 

Some active voice examples include:

1. Devised an innovative and organized content management system; and
2. Promoted to senior content writer after three months.

7. Including Too Much Information

Hiring managers might find applications with three or more pages overwhelming, and might just decide to skip reading it altogether. Generally, a resume is most effective when it’s limited to two pages. 

Having too much information could distract from the points that really matter. To make sure that your most relevant work experience and biggest career achievements stand out, evaluate your entire profile and decide what’s best to include or leave out. 

8. Listing an Unprofessional Email Address

That email address you created when you were 13 years old might still be the one you actively use, but if it’s not a simple combination of your first and last names, then you might want to consider creating a new one for job applications. 

Ideal email address formats include:

1. jane.doe@gmail.com;
2. doe.john@gmail.com; and
3. jdoe@gmail.com. 

Listing an email address that has unnecessary words in it is a common resume mistake that is generally frowned upon by hiring managers. It would be best to save something like “pizza_is_life@gmail.com” for online shopping memberships.

Make Your Resume a Ticket to Your Dream Job

Your resume should be a reflection of how talented you are. You could have the most extraordinary skills in the world, but if your application doesn’t show that and contains common resume mistakes, it could lead to unfulfilled potential. 

Create a resume that paints you, as a professional, in the best possible light. Having a well-composed resume will open more opportunities than ever before. Remember, you have the power to create your own ticket to your dream job. 

When it comes to getting hired by the company of your dreams, AdCulture is a top source for career opportunities that truly value culture fit. We’re always on the lookout for unicorns that are exemplary in their field of work.

Contact us now to start being equipped with the necessary tips & tricks to take your career to the next level!