The 10 Resume Mistakes That Can Cost You the Job (And How to Avoid Them)

Your resume is your first chance to make a great impression on potential employers. But all too often, even small mistakes can sabotage your shot at landing an interview.

According to a CareerBuilder survey, 58% of resumes have typos. And Zety shares that 25% of applicants are eliminated from consideration solely because of grammar mistakes and typos.

But resume mistakes go beyond just spelling errors. Everything from your formatting to your phrasing can hurt your candidacy if not done well.

"Your resume is a marketing document that quickly shows a potential employer how you are a fit for their job opening. It‘s a fast advertisement of your distinct skills and experience. It should showcase your unique value and get the reader excited to learn more."

• Dr. Kyle Elliott, Career & Interview Coach

To help you create a strong, effective resume that avoids the most common pitfalls, here‘s an in-depth look at the 10 resume mistakes that can cost you the job – and what to do instead.

Mistake #1: Spelling and Grammar Errors

What It Looks Like:

• Misspelled words and company names
• Missing punctuation
• Using the wrong word (e.g. "there" vs "their")
• Inconsistent capitalization or abbreviations
• Incorrect apostrophes (e.g. "50s" instead of "‘50s")

Why It‘s a Problem:
Spelling and grammar mistakes are one of the top reasons resumes get discarded. They‘re seen as a red flag for carelessness, inattention to detail, and sloppy work. If you submit a resume filled with errors, employers will assume your work is equally subpar.

Tip: Don‘t rely solely on spellcheck, as it won‘t catch things like correctly spelled words used in the wrong context. Carefully proofread your resume multiple times, reading slowly word by word. It also helps to print out a physical copy, as mistakes are often easier to catch on paper than on a screen. You can also try reading it aloud or having a friend review it for a fresh perspective.

Mistake #2: Using an Unprofessional Email Address

What It Looks Like:

• Outdated AOL or Hotmail accounts
• Email handles that are casual (beerlover@), silly (unicornsparkle@), or inappropriate (luvmachine@)
• Long, convoluted emails that are hard to type

Why It‘s a Problem:
The email address you list on your resume is often the first way an employer will contact you. An unprofessional email makes you look unprofessional by association. It may seem trivial, but 35% of recruiters have reportedly eliminated applicants for this very mistake.

Tip: Create a new email address specifically for your job search that‘s simple and incorporates your name, like [email protected] or [email protected]. Avoid numbers, underscores, and cutesy handles. Use this email consistently across your resume, cover letter, and online job profiles for a cohesive personal brand.

Mistake #3: Focusing on Job Duties vs Accomplishments

What It Looks Like:

• Bullet points that start with phrases like "Responsible for" or "Duties included"
• Lists of tasks without context about the results
• Vague descriptions like "Helped with…" or "Worked on…"

Why It‘s a Problem:
When hiring managers scan your resume, they don‘t just want to know what you did – they want to know how well you did it. Resumes that read like basic job descriptions don‘t convey the value you personally brought to each role. You‘ll blend in with the crowd instead of showing why you‘re the best candidate.

Tip: For each position, highlight 2-4 key achievements that showcase your impact. Use powerful action verbs to emphasize your initiative and provide specific metrics to quantify your success. For example:

Instead of this…	Try this…
Responsible for managing social media accounts	Increased Instagram followers by 20% and Facebook engagement by 15% through creative social media campaigns
Duties included writing press releases and articles	Wrote and distributed 10+ press releases per month, securing coverage in major industry publications and growing media mentions by 50% YoY

Mistake #4: Not Tailoring Your Resume to the Job Ad

What It Looks Like:

• Using the same generic resume to apply for different roles
• Not incorporating keywords from the job description
• Including irrelevant or outdated experience
• Focusing on skills not mentioned in the job ad

Why It‘s a Problem:
Recruiters want to see a clear match between your resume and the job requirements. A one-size-fits-all resume suggests you‘re not truly passionate or qualified for that particular role. Even worse, a generic resume may not include the keywords necessary to get past applicant tracking system (ATS) filters, meaning a human will never even see it.

Tip: Study the job description and mirror the language in your resume. If they‘re looking for someone who can "drive sales and build strong client relationships", describe how you "drove 30% sales growth and built a loyal clientele". Use a custom professional summary to directly position yourself as the ideal candidate and show your most relevant credentials upfront.

Mistake #5: Going Overboard on Length

What It Looks Like:

• Resumes longer than 2-3 pages
• Exhaustive lists of every task you‘ve ever done
• Extensive details on roles from 10-15+ years ago
• Multiple pages for entry-level candidates

Why It‘s a Problem:
Recruiters only spend an average of 7.4 seconds scanning each resume initially. If your resume is too long, key details will get lost and reviewers will miss your most marketable points. Extra pages filled with less-relevant info can also make you come across as someone who lacks focus and self-awareness.

Tip: Unless you‘re an executive or academic, keep your resume to 1-2 pages max. recent grads and those with less than 10 years of experience should stick to one page. Be ruthless about removing irrelevant or outdated content. Tighten up your bullet points and cut out filler words to streamline your text. If you‘re running out of room, consider removing older roles or consolidating them in an "Early Career" section with just the highlights.

Mistake #6: Poor Formatting and Design

What It Looks Like:

• Tiny or unreadable fonts below size 10
• Inconsistent spacing, margins, and alignment
• Lack of white space, with text crammed together
• Garish colors or unprofessional graphics
• Using ALL CAPS or funky fonts

Why It‘s a Problem:
Your resume needs to be clear, polished, and easy to skim. If you use tiny text or crazy colors, your resume will be difficult to read. Inconsistent formatting looks messy and unprofessional. And a cluttered layout is off-putting and overwhelming, making it hard for key accomplishments to shine through.

Tip: Streamline your resume design with a simple "less is more" approach:

• Standard fonts (like Arial or Calibri) in 10-12 pt size
• Clearly delineated sections with bold headings
• Bullet points to break up blocks of text
• Margins between 0.5" – 1" on all sides
• Selective use of bolding and italics for emphasis
• Black text on white or ivory paper

Keep in mind busy hiring managers may print out your resume in black and white, so avoid using color as the only way to convey meaning.

Mistake #7: Not Demonstrating Results

What It Looks Like:

• Focusing on your own perspective (what you did) vs the employer‘s perspective (why it mattered)
• Describing your work style without showing your work product
• Listing skills without any evidence to prove you have them

Why It‘s a Problem:
Employers want tangible proof that you can deliver results, not just take up space. Simply claiming things like "I‘m a hard worker" and "I‘m a fast learner" is not compelling. Neither is describing processes without outcomes. Anyone can say they led a team or managed a project – you need to show the impact.

Tip: Whenever possible, quantify your achievements with hard numbers:

• Increased sales by 15%
• Reduced costs by $50,000
• Managed a team of 12 people
• Wrote 15 articles per week
• Handled 50 customer requests per day

Metrics make your accomplishments feel more substantial and give a sense of scale. For achievements that can‘t be quantified, focus on the end result and benefits to your employer:

Instead of this…	Try this…
Wrote email newsletters and managed social media presence	Created engaging email and social media content that grew newsletter subscribers by 20% and improved customer loyalty
Resolved customer support tickets and answered product questions	Maintained a 98% customer satisfaction rating and 90% first-call resolution rate by expertly communicating solutions

Mistake #8: Not Proofreading

What It Looks Like:

• Inconsistent punctuation or formatting
• Incorrect (or missing) apostrophes
• Lack of parallel structure in bullets
• Mismatched dates or date formats
• Small typos spell check won‘t catch

Why It‘s a Problem:
Reviewers will notice sloppy inconsistencies in your resume, even if they seem minor to you. A lack of attention to detail in your writing suggests a lack of attention to detail in your work. Hiring managers may assume you‘d make similar careless errors on the job.

Tip: Don‘t just rely on spell check – proofread manually and carefully. Some sneaky mistakes to look out for:

• It‘s vs Its
• Incorrect use of apostrophes for plural words ("KPI‘s")
• Inconsistent verb tense (switching between past and present)
• The wrong kind of dash (using hyphens instead of en dashes for dates)
• Double spaces after periods

It‘s also smart to have a trusted friend give your resume a second look. A fresh set of eyes can catch things you‘ve become blind to after staring at your resume for too long.

Mistake #9: Including References (or Saying References Available)

What It Looks Like:

• Listing references‘ names and contact info on your resume
• Taking up space with the line "References available upon request"

Why It‘s a Problem:
References don‘t belong on an initial resume. Employers will ask for them if and when they‘re ready to check them. Including references prematurely looks presumptuous and takes up valuable space. And the line about references being available upon request is just filler – it goes without saying.

Tip: Leave references off your resume. Create a separate reference sheet to have at the ready if a hiring manager asks for one. It should match your resume in font and style and include each reference‘s name, title, company, email, and phone number. Always ask references for permission before listing them.

Mistake #10: Sending the Wrong File Format

What It Looks Like:

• Submitting an editable file type (.doc, .txt, .pages)
• Sending something other than PDF or .docx
• Not testing that your file opens properly

Why It‘s a Problem:
If you submit an editable resume file, you leave yourself open to the recruiter accidentally modifying your text. Unless specified otherwise, you should always send your resume as a PDF to preserve your careful formatting. PDFs are also the most universally compatible file type, opening seamlessly on most devices and ATS.

Tip: Export your resume as a PDF and open it on a few different devices to check that the formatting looks right. Pay special attention to things like page breaks, bullet alignment, and any special characters. If you used an online resume builder tool, double check to make sure the PDF downloaded properly and didn‘t cut off any info.

"Crafting a strong, error-free resume takes time and effort – but it‘s worth it. By avoiding these top 10 resume mistakes and following expert tips, you‘ll create a polished, professional resume that enhances your candidacy and helps you land your dream role. The key is to stay focused on what matters most to employers: specific, demonstrable results in an easy-to-read, skimmable format."

In summary, to write a winning resume in today‘s competitive job market, be sure to:

1. Carefully edit for spelling and grammar mistakes
2. Use a professional email address
3. Focus on accomplishments, not just duties
4. Tailor your resume to each specific job
5. Keep content concise and relevant
6. Streamline formatting to a clean, readable design
7. Provide concrete proof of your results
8. Proofread for consistency and sneaky typos
9. Leave off references
10. Send as a PDF, not an editable file

With your resume optimized and error-free, you‘ll be well on your way to scoring the interview – and ultimately landing the job.