Don't let your resume betray you. Avoid these common and costly resume mistakes.

If you've finished your resume and think you're ready to send it out, think again. There are a few common resume pitfalls that could mean the difference between immediate rejection and a possible interview opportunity. In addition to common typos, the following are the most common resume mistakes that are likely to be found on a resume. 

Does your resume include any of these mistakes?

1. Assumed Skills

  • “Excellent verbal and written communication skills”

  • “Ethical standards and confidentiality”

  • “Able to collaborate professionally”

  • “Resourceful decision making”

  • “Prioritizing and multitasking”

  • “Self-starter”

  • “Ability to learn and adapt quickly to changing environments.”

If your resume contains any of these phrases, consider changing them to something more specific that describes your background. Hirers assume that you can communicate, collaborate with others, and manage your own time while working on more than one task. These are basic office and work skills that will be ignored on a resume and won't do much to support your candidacy.

Related reading: What Are Skills? (With Examples and Tips on How to Improve Them)

2. Microsoft Office Suite

You can omit mention of basic Microsoft products like Suite, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint from your resume. Employers assume you know and use these programs. If you use specific tools such as Visual Basic, Access, or OneNote you could add those because they are used for more specific tasks and projects.

3. Passive Voice

One of the most common resume mistakes people make is to write in a passive voice. As you detail your work history, avoid passive language. Instead, use action verbs to help present you as a productive and dynamic employee. For example:

  • Passive: “ABC TV show, 'Name of Show' was produced by me.”

  • Active: “Produced ABC TV show.”

  • Passive: “Office duties were completed by me.”

  • Active: “Filed documents, returned phone calls, responded to customers, and entered customer data into computer system.”

See the difference? It's all about the subject of your sentence. Passive voice puts the focus on what was done, whereas active voice shines a light on the fact that you were the one doing the thing – i.e., accomplishing something. Focusing on the actions you took to create results helps illustrate your value to prospective employers.

Related reading: 100 + Keywords, Verbs, and Action Words for Your Resume

4. Objective statements

Many job candidates think they should talk about their life or compliment themselves in the paragraph at the top of a resume. Companies are not interested in what you think of yourself, and adjectives like “successful” or “highly qualified” are subjective. The fact is that your future boss is interested solely in how you will benefit the company.

The best option is to make that top paragraph a summary of your proven qualifications and the accomplishments that make you the best candidate. This summary statement is more effective than the traditional objective paragraph since it focuses on demonstrating how you can add value to your prospective employer's company.

Related reading: Resume Profile Explained (with Examples)

5. Overused words

According to LinkedIn, these were the 10 most overused words in profiles:

  • Motivated

  • Creative

  • Passionate

  • Specialized

  • Extensive Experience

  • Leadership

  • Strategic

  • Skilled

  • Responsible

  • Successful

“Passionate,” “motivated,” and “responsible” should not be on a resume. They are too general and could describe anyone. But some of these words are important and applicable, they just need context. “Extensive experience” is fine, but why not pump it up and provide more detail? How much experience do you have? 10 years? More than 20?

“Strategic” is actually a great word to use on a resume, but it will have more impact if you use it to describe something specific you accomplished: “Implemented strategic marketing plans targeting specific demographics to increase customer conversion by X%.”

Avoid these resume mistakes to bolster your job search

The goal of creating a resume is to get you past applicant tracking systems (ATS) so that you can sell your candidacy to recruiters and hiring managers – to earn that all-important job interview. If you can avoid these five mistakes, you'll have a better chance of creating a compelling resume that is more likely to make a great impression that helps you stand out from the competition.

Want to make sure that you avoid these common resume mistakes? Get your free resume review from our team of professional resume experts.

This article was originally written by Soozy G. Miller. It was updated by Ken Chase in 2024.

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