Five Resume Mistakes That Are Costing You Interviews

Let’s be honest—resume writing isn’t anyone’s favorite activity. But it’s that critical first impression that either opens doors or keeps them firmly shut. After reviewing thousands of resumes and speaking with dozens of hiring managers, I’ve noticed the same mistakes popping up repeatedly, even from incredibly qualified candidates.

Here are five resume blunders that might be silently sabotaging your job search—and how to fix them fast.

1. The Generic Professional Summary

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The Problem: “Results-driven professional with 10+ years of experience seeking to leverage skills in a challenging environment.”

Sound familiar? This type of generic opener appears on roughly 80% of resumes crossing recruiters’ desks. It says absolutely nothing specific about you and wastes prime resume real estate.

The Fix: Replace generic language with specific accomplishments:

“Digital marketing strategist who increased e-commerce conversion rates by 37% for SaaS clients through data-driven campaign optimization and A/B testing frameworks.”

Real example: Marta, a project manager I worked with, replaced her generic summary with specific metrics about budgets managed and project outcomes. Interview requests jumped from 1 in 15 applications to 1 in 4.

2. Responsibilities vs. Achievements

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The Problem: Listing job duties rather than accomplishments.

“Managed social media accounts” tells me what you were supposed to do, not how well you did it.

The Fix: Apply the “So what?” test to every bullet point. Transform responsibilities into achievement statements using this formula:

• Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]

Before: “Responsible for customer service team management.” After: “Improved customer satisfaction scores by 22% in six months by implementing new training program and creating escalation protocols.”

3. ATS-Unfriendly Formatting

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The Problem: Beautiful resumes with columns, graphics, and fancy headers that Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) can’t process.

The Fix: Save the creative layouts for your portfolio. For resumes:

• Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills)
• Avoid text boxes, tables, and columns
• Use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri)
• Include keywords from the job description

James, a graphic designer, couldn’t figure out why his applications were disappearing into the void. His visually stunning resume was being garbled by ATS systems. After creating a clean, ATS-friendly version while keeping his portfolio creative, his response rate improved dramatically.

4. The One-Size-Fits-All Approach

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The Problem: Sending identical resumes for different positions.

The Fix: Tailor each resume to highlight experiences most relevant to that specific job. This doesn’t mean fabricating experience, but rather:

• Reordering bullet points to prioritize relevant achievements
• Adjusting your skills section to emphasize what’s mentioned in the job posting
• Customizing your professional summary for each role

A junior developer I advised was applying for both front-end and back-end positions with the same resume. Once she created two versions highlighting relevant projects for each path, her interview rate tripled.

5. The Mysterious Employment Gaps

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The Problem: Unexplained gaps in employment history that make recruiters wonder.

The Fix: Address gaps proactively rather than hoping no one notices. Options include:

• Using years instead of months if gaps are small
• Including relevant activities during the gap (freelancing, education, volunteer work)
• Being honest but brief in explaining significant gaps

Sarah had a two-year gap while caring for an ill family member. Rather than leaving it unexplained, she briefly noted “Family Health Caregiver, 2021-2023” and included skills developed during this period (coordination, resource management, etc.). Employers appreciated the transparency, and it became a non-issue in interviews.

Quick Diagnosis: Is Your Resume Working?

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If your resume isn’t generating interviews despite applying for positions matching your qualifications, it likely needs attention. The good news? Most resume problems are fixable in under an hour.

Run this quick self-assessment:

• Does your resume start with specific, relevant achievements?
• Are you quantifying results where possible?
• Have you customized it for the specific role?
• Is it formatted cleanly for ATS compatibility?
• Have you had someone else review it for blind spots?

Remember that your resume isn’t meant to get you the job—it’s meant to get you the interview. Its job is to create enough interest that employers want to learn more about you. Make every word count toward that goal, and watch your interview requests multiply.

Need personalized feedback on your resume? Drop a comment below with your industry, and I’ll share the most common resume mistake I see in your field.