10 Resume Mistakes to Avoid and How to Fix Each One

Mistakes in what you write

1. Listing duties instead of results

A duty says what the job was. A result says how well you did it. Recruiters already know what a cashier or an encoder does. They want to know what happened because you were the one doing it.

Use this pattern for each bullet: action verb, what you did, a number or outcome.

No exact numbers? Use honest estimates: how many per day, how many people, how often.

2. Sending the same resume to every job

A general resume matches no job post closely. Before each application, adjust your summary, reorder your skills and move the most relevant bullets to the top. Ten minutes is enough.

The free ATS resume checker compares your resume with a job post and lists the keywords you are missing.

3. A vague summary or objective

The top three lines get read first. If they could describe anyone, they are wasted. State your role, years or level of experience, your strongest skills and one result. Our resume summary examples cover different jobs and levels.

4. A skills list full of empty words

List tools and methods a recruiter would search for. See the resume skills list for ideas by field.

Mistakes in layout and length

5. A design that is hard to read

Heavy graphics, text boxes, skill bars and several columns can look good on screen but confuse screening software and tire human readers. Use one clear font, standard headings such as Work Experience and Education, and plenty of white space.

Copy all the text from your PDF and paste it into a plain note. If it comes out jumbled or in the wrong order, screening software may read it the same way.

6. Too long, or padded with personal details

One page is enough for fresh graduates and most applicants with under ten years of experience. Cut old or unrelated jobs down to a line each.

Older resumes and biodata forms in the Philippines list age, civil status, religion, height and weight. Most employers do not need these to judge your application, so leave them off unless the job post asks. The same goes for a photo. See resume vs CV vs biodata for when each format is expected.

7. Inconsistent dates and formatting

Mixed date styles, different bullet symbols and random bold text make a resume look rushed. Pick one style and use it everywhere.

List your most recent job first. If you have a gap, do not hide it by removing dates. Be ready to explain it in one sentence.

Mistakes in the details

8. Typos and grammar errors

One typo will not always sink an application, but several suggest you did not check your work. Run a spelling check, then read the resume from the bottom up so your eyes do not skip. Ask one other person to read it.

Watch your verb tenses: present tense for your current job, past tense for previous ones.

9. Wrong or unprofessional contact details

A recruiter who cannot reach you moves to the next applicant. Check every digit of your mobile number and use an email address based on your name.

Your city is enough. You do not need to give your full home address.

10. The wrong file type or file name

Send a PDF unless the employer asks for Word, and name the file so the recruiter can find it later.

Avoid sending a photo or scan of a printed resume. The text cannot be searched or read by software.

Mistakes about honesty

Do not stretch job titles, dates or skills. Employers can check references and school records, and interviewers will ask about anything on the page. A smaller claim you can back up is always safer than a bigger one you cannot.

• List only tools you can use today.
• Give real employment dates, with months.
• Describe group projects by your own part in them.
• Write in-progress degrees and certificates as ongoing, with the expected date.

A final check before you send

1. Does the top third show your role, your level and your best result?
2. Does every bullet start with an action verb, and do most have a number?
3. Do your skills match the words in the job post?
4. Is the formatting the same in every section?
5. Are your mobile number and email correct?
6. Is the file a text-based PDF with your name in the file name?

If it is easier to start clean than to repair an old file, the ATS-friendly resume templates handle mistakes 5 and 7 for you.