5 Resume Mistakes That Are Costing You Interviews And How to Fix Them

Your resume is your first impression with recruiters and hiring managers. Even small mistakes can prevent you from landing interviews, no matter how qualified you are. If you’ve been applying to jobs and getting little to no response, chances are your resume is holding you back. Here are the five most common resume mistakes and actionable tips to fix them, along with guidance for succeeding once you land an interview.

(Bonus sections towards the bottom to help you ace your interviews)

1. Using a Generic Resume for Every Job (Hear me out)

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is sending the same resume to every application. Recruiters often use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes before a human even sees them. If your resume does not align with the job description, it may never reach a recruiter - genuinely.

Why this matters: ATS scans for keywords, skills, and relevant experience. A generic resume is less likely to contain the exact phrases or skills the employer is looking for.

And the truth is, only a small percentage of applicants actually acknowledge this, and tailor their resume (even by the slightest) so it matches the job description a little more - those are the candidates who are getting noticed.

Fix: Tailor your resume for each position. Read the job description carefully and highlight your achievements, experience, and skills that match the role. For example, if the job emphasizes project management, make sure your relevant projects and measurable results are clearly visible. Even small changes, like swapping in keywords from the posting, can drastically improve your chances of getting past ATS filters.

2. Listing Responsibilities Instead of Achievements

Many resumes simply list job duties, which makes it hard for recruiters to understand your actual impact. For example, “Managed a team of five employees” tells a recruiter what you did, but not the results. Reading average responsibilities gets boring for recruiters, and with no measurables attached - they skip right past this.

Why this matters: Recruiters want to know how you added value. Numbers and measurable outcomes are persuasive and make your resume stand out.

Fix: Focus on achievements. Instead of saying what you were responsible for, explain what you accomplished. Examples:

• Increased regional sales by 30% by implementing a new client outreach strategy

• Reduced customer support ticket resolution time by 25% through workflow improvements

• Led a team of five in completing projects ahead of schedule and under budget

  
  

Framing your experience this way immediately shows recruiters that you are results-driven and capable of making a meaningful impact - not the average Joe.

3. Poor Formatting and Readability

Your resume can be rejected simply because it is hard to read. Busy layouts, unusual fonts, or inconsistent spacing can make it difficult for both ATS and humans to scan your resume quickly. Recruiters often spend less than 10 seconds on an initial glance at a resume, so clarity is key.

Why this matters: A messy resume distracts from your achievements and can make it look like you are careless or unprofessional. An absolute nono for Junior - Mid roles.

Fix: Stick to a clean, professional layout:

• Use standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica

• Maintain consistent spacing, bullet points, and headings

• Stick to a single-column layout to ensure ATS readability

• Use bold or italics sparingly to emphasize key achievements

  
  

Clear formatting helps recruiters quickly find the most important information and understand your value.

4. Typos and Grammar Mistakes

Even minor errors can make you appear careless. Common mistakes include misspelled words, inconsistent punctuation, or missing articles. A single typo can be enough for a recruiter to discard your application.

Why this matters: Typos suggest a lack of attention to detail, which is especially concerning in professional roles where precision matters.

Fix: Proofread your resume multiple times and ask someone else to review it. Reading your resume out loud can help catch awkward phrasing or missing words. Using grammar tools or AI writing assistants can also help identify errors you may overlook.

5. Missing Keywords and Industry Terms

Many companies use ATS to filter resumes. If your resume does not contain the right keywords, it may never reach a human recruiter. Simply having the right experience is not enough; you need to communicate it using the language the employer expects.

Why this matters: Without relevant keywords, your resume can be invisible to automated systems that are designed to streamline the hiring process.

Fix: Extract keywords from the job description and integrate them naturally into your resume. Include specific skills, certifications, and industry terminology. For instance, if a posting mentions “data analysis using Python,” make sure your experience with Python and relevant data projects is highlighted. Tools like CanditAI are primarily interview-focused, but can also help identify missing keywords and suggest improvements so you have an increased chance of both landing, and acing an interview.

Bonus Section 1: Preparing for Interviews

Once your resume gets noticed, the next step is the interview (the hardest part).

Many candidates get interviews but struggle to articulate their experience effectively. Interviews are your opportunity to expand on your achievements, demonstrate soft skills, and show why you are the best fit.

Tip: Practice answering common questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) - or just try CanditAI for free, and have it generated 3-5 tailored STAR examples for you - entirely based on the job description of the role you're interviewing for, and your experience (through your resume).

CanditAI even tells you what the recruiter thinks of you, their expectations and what parts of your experience you should talk about most to get the 'most points' from the recruiter. You even get to check your chances of landing that job, for free - with every prep.

Bonus Section 2: Avoiding Common Interview Mistakes

Even with a strong resume, interviews can go poorly if you are unprepared or nervous. Common mistakes include:

• Failing to research the company and role

• Giving vague answers that do not showcase your impact

• Forgetting to ask thoughtful questions at the end

  
  

Tip: Use CanditAI for your interview preps. It uses something called Deep Mix and generates ultra-aligned interview playbooks based on the job description and your resume - a game changer in the interview prepping space - and the only platform out there that has this type of technology. This can help turn interviews into job offers.

Conclusion

Avoiding these five resume mistakes can dramatically improve your chances of landing interviews. Tailor your resume, highlight achievements, proofread carefully, include relevant keywords, and maintain professional formatting. Once you get interviews, treat it likes it's the only one you're going to get - and use CanditAI to absolutely smash the interview (just like 30,000 other users).

Your resume is your ticket to opportunity - make sure it represents your full potential.