10 Resume Mistakes That Get You Instantly Rejected (And How to Fix Them)

10 Resume Mistakes That Get You Instantly Rejected

Your resume has one job: get you an interview. But if it contains any of these 10 mistakes, it's doing the opposite.

The good news? Every single one is fixable.

Mistake #1: Generic "Objective" Statement

Bad: "Seeking a challenging position in a dynamic company where I can leverage my skills."

This says nothing. Recruiters don't care about what you want—they care about what value you bring.

How to Fix It:

Replace with a Professional Summary:

Good: "Digital Marketing Manager with 5 years driving growth for B2B SaaS companies. Expert in SEO and content marketing. Increased organic traffic by 300% and generated $2M in pipeline revenue."

Mistake #2: Listing Responsibilities Instead of Achievements

Bad:

• Responsible for managing social media accounts


• Handled customer service inquiries

How to Fix It:

Use the formula: Action Verb + Task + Result

Good:

• Grew Instagram following from 5K to 50K, increasing website traffic by 200%


• Resolved 100+ customer inquiries daily, achieving 98% satisfaction rating

Mistake #3: Unprofessional Email Address

Bad: [email protected], [email protected]

How to Fix It:

Create a professional email:

• [email protected]


• [email protected]

Mistake #4: Terrible Formatting (ATS Killer)

Bad:

• Multiple columns


• Text boxes and tables


• Graphics and images


• Fancy fonts

How to Fix It:

• Single-column layout


• Standard fonts (Arial, Calibri)


• Simple bullet points


• .docx or .pdf format

Mistake #5: No Keywords from the Job Description

Bad: Using synonyms instead of exact phrases.

How to Fix It:

Mirror the job posting language:

Job says: "Project management experience"
Your resume: Use "project management" (not "coordinated initiatives")

Mistake #6: Typos and Grammatical Errors

One typo signals carelessness.

How to Fix It:

• Read out loud


• Use spell check


• Have someone else review


• Read backwards to catch errors

Mistake #7: Including Irrelevant Information

Remove:

• Marital status


• Age or date of birth


• High school (if you have college degree)


• "References available upon request"

Mistake #8: Employment Gaps with No Explanation

Unexplained gaps raise red flags.

How to Fix It:

Include what you did:

• Freelance work


• Certifications earned


• Volunteer experience


• Skills developed

Or use years instead of months to minimize small gaps.

Mistake #9: One-Size-Fits-All Resume

Sending the same resume to every job.

How to Fix It:

Customize for each application:

• Adjust your summary


• Reorder skills by relevance


• Emphasize different achievements


• Match keywords to each job

Mistake #10: Lying or Exaggerating

Companies verify information. The truth comes out.

How to Fix It:

Be honest but strategic:

Don't say: "Marketing Manager" (when you were an intern)
Do say: "Marketing Intern - Team Leadership Role" with actual responsibilities listed

Your Resume Rescue Checklist

This week:

• [ ] Replace generic objective with specific summary


• [ ] Rewrite 5 bullets as achievements with metrics


• [ ] Create professional email if needed


• [ ] Test formatting with copy-paste test


• [ ] Add keywords from target job


• [ ] Proofread three times


• [ ] Remove irrelevant information


• [ ] Address employment gaps


• [ ] Customize for your next application

Use CVCraft to Avoid These Mistakes

CVCraft automatically catches these errors:

• ATS format checker


• Keyword analyzer


• Achievement enhancer


• Error detection

Stop wondering if your resume has these mistakes. Know for certain.

Try CVCraft's free resume checker today.