Recruiters spend an average of six to eight seconds on a first pass of a resume. In that window, small mistakes read as red flags. Here are the ones that show up most often.
Formatting mistakes
- Inconsistent date formats across jobs
- Font sizes that vary section to section
- Margins too tight or too wide
- Resume longer than two pages for a mid-career profile
Content mistakes
- Listing duties instead of achievements ("Responsible for sales" vs. "Grew regional sales by 22% in 6 months")
- No numbers anywhere on the page
- A generic summary that could apply to any candidate
- Including irrelevant early-career jobs that dilute focus
ATS-related mistakes
- Submitting an image-based PDF
- Using tables or columns for layout
- Keyword-stuffing unnaturally
- Skipping the exact job title language used in the posting
Judgment-call mistakes
- Including a photo when the role/region doesn't call for one
- Listing references or "references available on request" (just leave it off)
- An unprofessional email address
- Typos in the first three lines, where recruiters read most closely
The fastest fix
Before you send your next application, read your resume out loud once. Anywhere you stumble, hedge, or use a vague verb like "helped" or "worked on," that's usually the exact spot a recruiter's eye also snags.