15 Common Resume Mistakes That Get Your Application Rejected

You have the right qualifications and relevant experience, but your applications keep disappearing into the void. No callbacks, no interview invitations, nothing. Before you blame the job market, take a hard look at your resume. In many cases, it is not your background that is the problem. It is how you are presenting it.

Recruiters spend an average of 6 to 10 seconds on an initial resume scan. In that brief window, any one of these 15 mistakes can get your application rejected. Here is what to avoid and how to fix each issue.

1. Typos and grammatical errors

This is the most easily avoidable mistake and one of the most damaging. A single typo tells the recruiter that you did not care enough to proofread the most important document in your job search. If you are careless with your own resume, what will your work product look like?

Fix: Read your resume out loud. This forces your brain to process each word individually rather than skimming. Then have a friend, family member, or colleague review it. Pay special attention to company names, job titles, and technical terms. Misspelling "Kubernetes" or "Salesforce" can cost you credibility with a technical reviewer.

2. Using a generic objective statement

"Seeking a challenging position where I can utilize my skills and grow professionally." Recruiters have read this sentence ten thousand times. It tells them absolutely nothing about who you are or what you bring.

Fix: Replace the objective with a professional summary that specifies your experience level, domain, key skills, and a standout achievement. For detailed examples, read our guide to resume summary examples for every career level.

3. Not tailoring your resume to the job

Sending the same generic resume to every job posting is the most common strategic mistake. Each job description contains specific skills, qualifications, and keywords that the employer considers important. If your resume does not reflect those priorities, both ATS software and human recruiters will pass.

Fix: Spend 15 to 20 minutes customizing your resume for each application. Adjust your professional summary, reorder bullet points to lead with the most relevant experience, and ensure keywords from the job description appear naturally throughout your resume.

4. Missing keywords

Over 90% of large companies use Applicant Tracking Systems to screen resumes. If your resume lacks the specific keywords the ATS is looking for, it gets filtered out before a human ever sees it.

Fix: Analyze the job description and identify key skills, tools, and qualifications. Incorporate them naturally into your summary, skills section, and work experience bullets. For a complete keyword strategy, see our article on resume keywords to get past ATS.

5. Poor formatting and layout

Inconsistent fonts, misaligned bullet points, crowded text, and creative layouts that look good on screen but confuse ATS parsers. Formatting issues signal a lack of attention to detail and can literally prevent your resume from being read.

Fix: Use a clean, single-column layout with standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica), consistent spacing, and clear section headings. EasyResume's builder handles formatting automatically, so you can focus entirely on content.

6. Making your resume too long

A three-page resume for someone with five years of experience is excessive. Recruiters do not have time to read lengthy documents, and padding your resume with filler content dilutes your strongest qualifications.

Fix: One page for freshers and early-career professionals (under 5 years). Two pages maximum for experienced professionals. If you are struggling to cut content, ask yourself: "Is this relevant to the specific job I am applying for?" If not, remove it.

7. Including irrelevant information

Your resume is not an autobiography. Listing every job you have ever held, every course you have ever taken, and every hobby you enjoy wastes valuable space and buries the information that actually matters.

Fix: Curate ruthlessly. Include only experience, skills, and education that are relevant to the target role. That part-time retail job from eight years ago probably does not need to be there if you are applying for a software engineering position.

8. Listing responsibilities instead of achievements

"Responsible for managing social media accounts" describes what your job was. "Grew social media following from 5,000 to 28,000 in 12 months, generating 40% more website traffic" describes what you accomplished. Recruiters want to see impact, not job descriptions.

Fix: For every bullet point, ask yourself: "So what? What changed because I did this?" Lead with measurable results wherever possible. Use the format: Action verb + what you did + measurable result.

9. Not quantifying your achievements

Even when candidates describe achievements rather than responsibilities, they often leave out the numbers. "Improved team efficiency" is vague. "Reduced sprint delivery time by 25% by implementing automated testing, saving 15 engineering hours per week" is compelling.

Fix: Add metrics wherever possible: revenue generated, costs reduced, percentage improvements, users served, team size managed, projects delivered on time. If you do not have exact numbers, reasonable estimates are acceptable.

10. Using an unprofessional email address

cooldude2003@yahoo.com or rockstar_raj@rediffmail.com will get your resume rejected before the recruiter even reads the first line. Your email address is one of the first things they see.

Fix: Use a professional email: firstname.lastname@gmail.com or a similar variation. If your preferred combination is taken, use a middle initial or a number that does not look juvenile.

11. Including outdated personal details

Photograph, date of birth, marital status, father's name, gender, religion, and nationality have no place on a modern resume. In India, these were standard a decade ago, but hiring practices have evolved.

Fix: Include only your name, phone number, email, city, and LinkedIn URL. For more on modern Indian resume conventions, see our Indian resume format guide.

12. Leaving employment gaps unexplained

Gaps in your work history are not automatically disqualifying, but unexplained gaps raise questions. Recruiters wonder: Were you fired? Could you not find work? Are you hiding something?

Fix: If you have gaps, address them briefly. If you took time off for education, caregiving, health, or a career transition, a one-line explanation in your resume or cover letter is sufficient. Focus on what you did during the gap that kept your skills current: courses, freelance work, volunteering, or personal projects.

13. Using buzzwords without substance

"Dynamic self-starter with a proven track record of leveraging synergies to drive innovative solutions." This sentence says nothing. Buzzwords without supporting evidence are empty noise that sophisticated recruiters see right through.

Fix: Replace every buzzword with a specific example. Instead of "proven track record," cite an actual track record: "Launched 3 products in 2 years, collectively generating $2M ARR." Let your achievements speak louder than adjectives.

14. Submitting the wrong file format

Sending a .pages file, an image-based PDF (scanned document), or an oddly formatted file can prevent your resume from being opened or parsed correctly. Some ATS platforms choke on certain formats entirely.

Fix: Submit as a .pdf or .docx file unless the job posting specifies otherwise. Ensure your PDF is text-based (you should be able to select and copy text from it) rather than a scanned image.

15. Forgetting to include a skills section

Some candidates scatter their skills throughout their work experience bullets without a dedicated skills section. This makes it harder for both ATS systems and recruiters to quickly identify your capabilities.

Fix: Include a clearly labeled "Skills" section organized by category. This gives ATS a clean keyword match and gives recruiters a snapshot of your technical abilities. For structuring advice, see our guide on how to list skills on a resume.

How to Audit Your Current Resume

Go through this list with your current resume open. For each of the 15 mistakes, honestly assess whether your resume is guilty. Most candidates find at least 3 to 5 issues they had not noticed before.

1. Read every word aloud to catch typos
2. Check that your summary is specific, not generic
3. Compare your resume against the last job description you applied to — does it match?
4. Count the keywords from that job description that appear in your resume
5. Check formatting consistency: fonts, spacing, date formats, bullet styles
6. Verify your resume is the appropriate length
7. Remove any irrelevant information
8. Rewrite any bullet that describes responsibilities instead of achievements
9. Add numbers to at least 50% of your bullet points
10. Confirm your email address is professional
11. Remove any outdated personal details
12. Address any employment gaps
13. Replace buzzwords with specific evidence
14. Save as a text-based PDF
15. Ensure you have a dedicated skills section

Build a Mistake-Free Resume

The easiest way to avoid formatting, layout, and structural mistakes is to use a tool designed to prevent them. EasyResume's free builder provides clean, ATS-compatible templates with consistent formatting, proper section headings, and a guided process that helps you focus on writing strong content rather than wrestling with layout issues.

Your resume is your first impression. Make sure it is not your last.