Avoid These Common Resume Mistakes and Stand Out

Your resume is often the first impression you make on a potential employer. It’s your chance to show them why you’re the right fit for the job—but even small mistakes can cost you an interview. You might have the perfect skills and experience, but a poorly crafted resume can hold you back.

To help you avoid common pitfalls, here are the biggest resume mistakes and how to fix them.

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

Even one small typo can send your resume straight to the rejection pile. Spelling mistakes, incorrect punctuation, and poor grammar signal a lack of attention to detail—something no employer wants.

✔ Fix it: Proofread carefully, use spell-check, and ask a friend or mentor to review your resume before submitting it.

2. Using the Same Resume for Every Job

A one-size-fits-all resume won’t cut it. If your resume doesn’t match the job posting, hiring managers may assume you’re not a great fit—even if you are.

✔ Fix it: Customize your resume for each job by incorporating keywords from the job listing and emphasizing relevant skills.

3. Listing Duties Instead of Accomplishments

Simply listing job responsibilities doesn’t showcase your impact. Employers want to see what you’ve achieved, not just what your job required.

Weak: “Managed social media accounts.”
Stronger: “Increased Instagram engagement by 50% in six months through targeted content strategy.”

✔ Fix it: Use numbers and specific examples to highlight your contributions.

4. Making Your Resume Too Long

Hiring managers don’t have time to read lengthy resumes. If your resume is longer than two pages, they might not even get to the important parts.

✔ Fix it: Keep it concise. Stick to one page unless you have extensive experience, and focus only on relevant information.

5. Exaggerating or Providing False Information

It’s tempting to make your experience sound better than it is, but recruiters can spot inconsistencies. Lying on a resume can ruin your chances of getting hired—even if you make it past the interview.

✔ Fix it: Be honest. Focus on presenting your real skills in the best possible light.

6. Overcomplicating the Formatting

Fancy fonts, excessive colors, and cluttered layouts make your resume harder to read. Hiring managers prefer clean, professional resumes that are easy to scan.

✔ Fix it: Use a standard font like Arial or Calibri, size 10–12 pt. Stick to black text on a white background and use bullet points for readability.

7. Incorrect Contact Information

It sounds obvious, but a surprising number of applicants submit resumes with outdated phone numbers or incorrect email addresses.

✔ Fix it: Double-check your contact details before sending your resume. Use a professional email address (e.g., firstname.lastname@email.com) instead of something casual.

8. Including a Photo of Yourself

While some industries (like modeling or acting) require a headshot, most employers don’t need to see your picture. Studies show that including a photo can actually distract recruiters from evaluating your qualifications.

✔ Fix it: Skip the photo and let your experience speak for itself.

Take Your Resume to the Next Level

Avoiding these mistakes is the first step toward crafting a resume that gets noticed. If you’re unsure where to start, Columbia College offers a resume writing course in Calgary to help you create a polished, professional resume tailored to your career goals.