7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Great Resumé

Introduction

As you begin to look for a job, seek a promotion or transition back into the workforce, your resumé is the greatest tool in your toolkit. It is, in the broadest sense, a marketing tool that outlines to potential employers why you are the best candidate for the job. Small mistakes can make all the difference, which may leave you wondering why you were not the successful candidate. Writing your resumé requires that you keep in mind what will make you more suitable than any other person. We’re going to discuss seven of the most common mistakes to avoid when writing your resumé.

Not checking spelling or grammar

The most fundamental rule of writing anything, including your resume, is ensuring that you use proper punctuation, spelling and grammar. Overlooking this basic step may communicate to the employer that you are careless. Most word processing and document creation software (e.g., Microsoft Word, Google Docs) have a spell-check tool and editor function built in so checking for these errors is simplified. If you’re in need of help, hire a professional editor with the expertise to ensure no little mistakes are missed.

Being dishonest or embellishing on your resumé

Falsifying your resumé’s content will only hurt you in the long term. Besides being illegal in some cases (e.g., when writing a military or federal government resumés, according to

Kal Dimitrov of EnhanceV), you only hurt yourself by lying. Even if you are not subject to criminal penalty, you could still lose your job, your professional license or damage your reputation. In some instances (e.g., construction or distribution), you could find yourself in a scenario attempting to perform work that you do not have the skills for.

Including your salary expectations or history

Discussing salary expectations on your resume is not necessary or appropriate. In fact, doing so may eliminate you from a role you are otherwise qualified for, Conrad Benz of ResuméGenius says. The purpose of your resumé is to outline your skills and experience, which help to demonstrate your qualifications for your target position. Your salary expectations may come up in an interview, which is the perfect time to discuss them.

Including unrelated personal information

As with including salary expectations, adding personal information (e.g., marital status) to your resumé is not appropriate or relevant to your qualifications and experience. And even in those positions where excellent health might be important (e.g., for a strenuous construction job) these requirements can be discussed in your interview.  Furthermore, employers may eliminate your resume from the running due to their personal preferences around age, gender or your perceived health. According to Charles Duquette, a resumé specialist at the University of Maryland, this can be avoided by simply leaving your personal data off the resumé. Marsha Hebert of TopResumé also says that it is illegal for employers to ask for these details and details like your SIN and address should only be discussed once you have been successful. In short, personal information serves no purpose and has no place on your resumé.

Including your hobbies or interests

Hobbies and interests do not belong on your resumé, even if they helped you to acquire new skills. Instead, you can refer to the skills and experience you acquired while volunteering or participating in these under your experience section. If at some point during the interview, the topic of your hobbies or interests are brought up, take the opportunity to discuss them. Ensure to highlight the skills you developed through these activities. Listing hobbies and interests on your resume may distract from the skills and qualifications that make you the standout candidate for the position.

Including a picture of yourself

For most resumes, the practice of including a picture is considered unprofessional. It can also interfere with your chances of getting noticed by applicant tracking software (ATS), as ATS does not read pictures (see Indeed). Only if it is a requirement for a particular job should you ever include a picture with your resumé (e.g., performing arts resumés, which should include the picture separate from the resumé).

Decorating or creating an overly complexly designed resume

As previously mentioned, ATS cannot read pictures and likewise, it also cannot read graphics (e.g., icons or illustrations). Graphics can also be distracting to the resumé reader. Furthermore, cluttered resumé designs tend to fail ATS screening and consequently end up unread, Sho Dewan of Forbes says.

Honourable Mentions

Addressing reasons for leaving your previous jobs

Reasons for leaving a previous position can be addressed in an interview only if you are asked about them. Putting these on your resumé can be especially problematic if you were fired or laid off, as they are often viewed as the same thing. They can also create negative perceptions of you, Charles Duquette of the University of Maryland says.

Making your resumé too long or short

One of the first rules of resumé writing is to keep your resumé’s length to a maximum of two pages, Ronda Suder of TopResumé says. This ensures that you stay concise while covering enough ground to be convincing. Adhering to this rule requires not only well written content, but also a format that works with your level of experience. It bears mentioning that although the two page rule exists, it does not require that your resumé must be two pages. Candidates with considerable skills but little experience are better off using a skills resumé.  Refrain from embellishing your content (“padding”) or adding meaningless (“junk”) content in an attempt to make your resumé longer.  Focus instead on what relevant experience and skills you can highlight and ensure that you present them in the best light.

References

Benz, Conrad. “17 Most Common Resumé Mistakes You Need to Avoid” Resume Genius, August 12, 2024, https://resumegenius.com/blog/resume-help/resume-mistakes

Dewan, Sho. “Avoid These 5 Classic Resume Mistakes,” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, September 27, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/shodewan/2023/09/25/avoid-these-5-classic-resume-mistakes/

Dimitrov, Kal. “Lying on a Resume: Why You Should Never Do It Even If You Got the Job. EnhancV, March 18, 2025. https://enhancv.com/blog/lying-on-a-resume/

Duquette, Charles. “What You Should Never Put on a Resume - Choosing a Resume Format,” Coursera, 2024, https://www.coursera.org/learn/resume-writing/lecture/c3H3K/what-you-should-never-put-on-a-resume

Hebert, Marsha. “15 Things You Should Not Include in a Resumé,” TopResume, November 07, 2024, https://topresume.com/career-advice/6-things-to-remove-from-your-resume-right-away

Indeed. “16 Resume Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (with Helpful Tips), Indeed.com, Indeed, March 3, 2025, https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/15-resume-mistakes-to-avoid

Suder, Ronda. “Top Resume Mistakes That Could Cost You the Job,” TopResume, November 07, 2024 https://topresume.com/career-advice/top-10-resume-mistakes-that-cost-you-the-job