Resume Mistakes You Wouldn’t Usually Consider That Are Red Flags for Employers

With 8.2 million job openings being advertised in the US as of the end of June and 5.6 million people listed as ‘not in the labour force who currently want a job,’ it seems like getting a new position should be a piece of cake. However, there are plenty of resume mistakes that could land it in the trash before an applicant even gets to the interview stage.

“Just because there are many job openings, it doesn’t mean you can slack off on making your resume as perfect as possible,” say the workplace experts at Stock Mfg., a manufacturer of custom workwear. “Avoiding these resume mistakes is still essential for landing that all-important interview.”

Using An Unprofessional Email Address

A candidate’s contact information should always be at the top of a resume, and if their email is something like ‘pinkyshoesfluffball@yahoo,’ the hiring manager will notice. If you have a main email address with a questionable name, don’t use that email on your resume. It’s easy to make a new account, so there’s no excuse not to.

“The best email is ‘[yourfirstname][yourlastname]@emailprovider.’ If you have a name you share with many others, like ‘John Smith,’ try adding some easy-to-remember numbers. For example, ‘johnsmith25626@hotmail’,” shares Stock Mfg.

Saving With A Terrible File Name

Many people don’t seem to think about this, but a file name is just as visible to a hiring manager as every other part of the resume. Ensure a resume is saved with an appropriate file name, such as ‘[candidatename] CV 2024.’ “If you re-save your resume with a file name that mentions the company, it could lead them to assume you personalised your resume for that application, which will improve their impression of you,” Stock Mfg. advises.

Stuffing In Keywords

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) scan all submitted resumes for keywords in most hiring processes, so it can be tempting to stuff keywords into a resume in the hopes of getting it through the automated process. But at some point, a human will read that same resume, and they’ll be able to tell if it’s been nonsensically filled with keywords just to get past the computer. A resume that makes sense and reads well with fewer keywords will always win over a keyword-stuffed mess!

Using An Overly Fancy Layout

While some job seekers have impressed hiring managers with inventive and well-designed resumes, the rise of ATS makes this risky. Using different layouts (especially two-column rather than single-column layouts) and graphic elements can make reading a resume difficult for the program.

“Even if a hiring manager is reading each resume individually, unusual layouts can be a disadvantage,” Stock Mfg. says. “Hiring managers will usually scan each resume for no more than a few seconds, looking for keywords and relevant experience. If your inventive layout makes it hard for them to spot that information, they won’t try to look for it – they’ll just put your resume in the trash.”

Including Irrelevant Experience

Candidates find it tempting to put all their work experience on a resume—in fact, some are under the impression it’s dishonest not to—but hiring managers only really care about relevant experience. That’s why it’s best to put the most relevant experience right at the top of the resume.

“If you’re applying for a position as a graphic designer, for example, the hiring manager only wants to know about your previous freelance work and your stint designing the layout and logo for your college paper. They won’t be interested in knowing about your time as a cashier at Walmart,” Stock Mfg. says.

The experts at Stock Mfg. commented:

“Now you know what not to put on your resume, let’s talk about the opposite – what you should be including. Whether you should include things like hobbies and interests is a much-debated topic, but if you can show how your hobby has given you applicable skills for the position, you should include it. Including skills and hobbies is a good idea if you don’t have much experience yet or are making a career change and haven’t had a position in the industry you’re looking to move into.

“Employers are always looking for you to link your experiences to skills, so try to show how your previous positions gave you experience in skills like critical thinking, conflict resolution, self-motivation, analysis, and more. Another top tip is to say somewhere on your resume that you have experience working with AI. Many companies are looking to integrate AI into their processes, so they’ll be looking for someone with experience. You can back this claim up by researching and playing around with various AI software.

“The last thing is what I call the ‘eye-catching fact.’ A lot of people I know have been told by hiring managers that they were given an interview specifically because of one odd or unusual thing they included on their resume. So, are you a trained opera singer? Did you spend five months in Fiji rescuing turtles? Can you fly a plane? Mention it somewhere on your resume. If it catches the hiring manager’s eye, they might just give you an interview!”