Introduction
Crafting a great resume is crucial for making a strong first impression. But sometimes, what you don’t include can be just as important as what you do. Recruiters and hiring managers typically spend only seconds reviewing each resume, so including unnecessary or inappropriate information can hurt your chances of landing an interview. To help you avoid these pitfalls, here’s a guide to the biggest mistakes people make on their resumes — and why they should be avoided.
1. Irrelevant Work Experience
Including every job you’ve ever had might seem like a good way to demonstrate a long career, but it often works against you. Recruiters want to see the experience that’s relevant to the position you’re applying for. Listing every job dilutes your relevant skills and can make your resume look cluttered.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: Irrelevant experience makes it harder for hiring managers to find the information they care about. For example, if you’re applying for a data analyst position, listing your high school job as a retail cashier is unnecessary.
- What to Do Instead: Focus on highlighting the experiences that align with the role you’re applying for. If you feel the need to add older or unrelated experience, try listing it briefly under a separate section labeled “Other Experience.”
2. Personal Information and Photos
Your resume should present your qualifications, not personal details that aren’t relevant to the job. Including your marital status, age, social security number, or a photo is not only unnecessary, but it can also expose you to potential bias.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: Including personal information like age, marital status, or a photo can lead to unconscious bias. Employers are legally not allowed to make hiring decisions based on these factors, so including them can make you seem unprofessional or unaware of resume norms.
- What to Do Instead: Stick to information that directly relates to your qualifications. The only personal details you need to include are your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile.
3. Too Much Text and Long Paragraphs
When you’re excited about your accomplishments, it’s tempting to write detailed descriptions. However, long paragraphs of text make your resume difficult to read, especially when recruiters are quickly scanning it.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: Recruiters want to see your skills and accomplishments at a glance. Long blocks of text make it hard for them to quickly identify your key qualifications.
- What to Do Instead: Use bullet points for your achievements and responsibilities, and keep each point concise. Aim for bullet points that are one to two lines long, focusing on results rather than process.
4. Unprofessional or Inappropriate Email Addresses
Your email address is a small detail that can have a big impact. An unprofessional email address can make you seem unprepared or immature.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: An unprofessional email address (e.g., “partygal99@email.com”) can give the impression that you’re not taking the job application seriously.
- What to Do Instead: Use a professional email address, ideally one that includes your first and last name (e.g., firstname.lastname@email.com). Free email services make it easy to create a new, professional email for job hunting.
5. Objective Statement Instead of a Professional Summary
Objective statements are outdated and often don’t add value. A generic “Seeking a challenging position in a reputable company” does not communicate anything specific about your skills or what you bring to the role.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: Objective statements focus on what you want rather than what you can offer. This approach is outdated, and most hiring managers skip over objectives in favor of more useful information.
- What to Do Instead: Use a professional summary that highlights your experience and accomplishments. For example: “Experienced project manager with over 10 years in tech-driven environments, specializing in agile methodologies and cross-functional team leadership.”
6. Overused Buzzwords and Clichés
Terms like “hard worker,” “team player,” and “results-driven” are vague and overused. These phrases don’t convey any concrete information and may make your resume sound generic.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: Buzzwords and clichés don’t differentiate you from other candidates. Recruiters want to see measurable achievements, not vague adjectives.
- What to Do Instead: Show rather than tell. For example, instead of saying “team player,” mention a time you led a project team or collaborated successfully with others to achieve a specific result.
7. Responsibilities Instead of Achievements
Many candidates make the mistake of listing job duties instead of accomplishments. Responsibilities are what you were expected to do, but achievements show how well you did it.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: Listing responsibilities doesn’t show hiring managers how you added value. They’re interested in your achievements and the specific contributions you made to previous roles.
- What to Do Instead: Highlight measurable achievements using numbers, percentages, or specific outcomes. For example, instead of “Responsible for managing projects,” write “Managed a cross-functional project team that increased productivity by 25% over six months.”
8. Irrelevant or Overly Technical Skills
Including every skill you have — especially outdated or irrelevant ones — can be distracting. Similarly, listing highly specialized technical skills that don’t align with the job can make your resume seem cluttered.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: Irrelevant or overly technical skills don’t add value and can detract from more relevant qualifications. For instance, a marketing role might not need to know that you’re skilled in a particular programming language.
- What to Do Instead: Focus on the skills that directly relate to the job you’re applying for. Review the job description carefully and include skills that align with the employer’s needs.
9. Salary Expectations
Salary expectations do not belong on your resume. Discussing salary requirements too early in the hiring process can limit your chances if your range doesn’t align with the employer’s budget.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: Mentioning salary on your resume can make you seem presumptuous and focused on the wrong priorities. Compensation is best discussed once mutual interest has been established.
- What to Do Instead: Leave salary discussions for the interview stage or after you’ve received an offer. This way, you can negotiate based on your skills and experience rather than an arbitrary figure.
10. False or Exaggerated Information
Exaggerating your skills or including false information can backfire severely. Even if you manage to secure an interview, most companies verify qualifications, and inconsistencies can lead to lost job offers or worse.
- Why It Hurts Your Resume: False information damages your credibility. Employers value honesty and transparency, and being caught in a lie can lead to a damaged reputation within your industry.
- What to Do Instead: Be truthful about your qualifications. If there are skills you lack, focus on your willingness to learn or emphasize your adaptability in past roles.
Conclusion
Your resume is often the first impression you make on potential employers, so it’s essential to avoid common mistakes that could overshadow your qualifications. Keep it professional, focused, and tailored to the job you’re applying for. By eliminating irrelevant information, vague language, and personal details, you’ll increase your chances of making it past the first round and closer to the job you’re aiming for. Remember, a well-crafted resume highlights your strengths, shows measurable achievements, and leaves the right details out. Make every word count, and you’ll be well on your way to standing out from the crowd.
