5 Resume Mistakes That Get You Rejected, and How to Fix Them
The five most common mistakes that get resumes rejected, with before-and-after examples you can use to check your own resume in fifteen minutes.
You have sent your resume to more than ten companies and nobody has called back, even though you think you are qualified. The problem may not be you, but how your story is told on one page. The good news is that most mistakes can be fixed within an hour once you know where to look.
Why resumes get rejected
A resume is read on two levels. First by the ATS many companies use to store and search applicants, then by a person reading a large number of applications in limited time. Most rejected resumes are not bad; they simply do not show the reader a reason to interview you quickly enough.
Mistake 1: Listing duties instead of results
Most people copy duties from their old job description. That says what you were assigned, not how well you did it.
- Before: Responsible for managing the company Facebook page
- After: Changed the Facebook content plan from promotions only to a mix of educational content and promotions, which noticeably increased product enquiries via chat within one quarter
If you have real figures from your work, include them, but only numbers you can explain in an interview.
Mistake 2: Using one resume for every role
A marketing executive role at an FMCG company and at a tech startup weigh skills differently, so a single resume fits every job only halfway. Keep one master version, then adjust the summary, bullet order and wording to match each job ad. It takes no more than twenty minutes per application.
Mistake 3: A file format ATS cannot read
- Key text placed in images or graphics, which the system cannot read
- Complex multi-column layouts or tables that scramble text order when parsed
- Name and phone number in the document header, which some systems skip
- File names like resume_final_new2.pdf instead of Firstname_Lastname_Role.pdf
The safe choice is a single-column layout, a standard font, plainly named sections, and a PDF with selectable text, unless the job ad asks for another format.
Mistake 4: Too long, or too thin
A four-page resume buries your highlights, while a half-page listing only company names and dates gives too little to decide on. For most people one to two pages is right. Cut very old or unrelated jobs to a single line and spend the space on recent roles that match best.
Mistake 5: Typos and inconsistent information
Typos, misspelled company names, or dates that differ from LinkedIn make readers doubt your attention to detail, especially for roles asking for precision. Effective checks: read it aloud, read it bottom to top, and have someone else read it.
How to write a results bullet
Use a simple formula: an action verb, plus what you did, plus the result or impact. Examples:
- “Designed a weekly sales report template in Excel so the sales team no longer compiled data by hand before meetings”
- “Coordinated with three suppliers to reduce late deliveries, lowering customer complaints about shipping”
- “Trained two intakes of new staff and wrote a process manual the team still uses today”
If you cannot think of the result, ask yourself: if you had not done this work, what would have been worse? The answer is usually your achievement.
Small mistakes worth checking too
- An unprofessional email address
- Skills listed with no evidence in your experience section
- Unnecessary personal data such as your national ID number
- Phrases like “hard-working, patient, responsible” with no example
A resume is not your life story. It is brief evidence that you can solve this company's problem.
Check your resume in fifteen minutes
- Open your resume next to the job ad you are applying for.
- Go through every bullet: duty or result? Rewrite at least three as results.
- Adjust the summary to this role.
- Check the file is single-column, text is selectable and the file name is correct.
- Read it aloud once, then compare dates with LinkedIn.
To understand how screening works, read resumes and AI screening and the truth about ATS scores, then check and refine your resume in Resume Lab.