🟦 Formatting Fails
This makes a resume hard to read and causes recruiters to stop after 6 seconds.
What is poor spacing or cluttered formatting?
This email address immediately turns recruiters off.
What is an unprofessional email address?
Employers expect resumes to follow this common structure from top to bottom.
What is contact information, summary, skills, experience, and education?
This is the most common mistake in the skills section that turns employers off.
What is listing too many unrelated skills?
Employers are turned off when certifications are listed without this key detail.
What is the completion or expected date?
Using this font style or size can make a resume look unprofessional.
What are decorative fonts or very small font sizes?
Typos and grammar errors signal this to employers.
What is lack of attention to detail?
Using different fonts or sizes throughout a resume signals this problem.
What is lack of consistency?
Employers prefer skills grouped by this instead of one long list.
What are skill categories (Operating Systems, Networking, Cloud, Tools)?
Including certifications unrelated to the role causes this problem.
What is a lack of focus or direction?
Employers dislike resumes longer than this length for entry-level tech roles.
What is more than one page?
Including this personal information is unnecessary and unprofessional.
What is age, photo, or marital status?
Dates on a resume should always be formatted this way.
What is a consistent month/year format?
Including soft skills in the skills tab without proof causes this issue.
What is lack of credibility?
This certification mistake raises immediate trust concerns.
What is listing certifications you haven’t earned yet?
This visual element may look creative but often breaks ATS systems.
What are graphics, icons, or columns?
This tone in a resume is a red flag.
What is casual or slang language?
Employers are turned off when bullet points are not aligned or use this mix.
What is inconsistent punctuation or bullet styles?
This vague skill is a red flag unless backed by examples.
What is “problem-solving” or “communication”?
Employers prefer certifications listed in this order.
What is most recent or most relevant first?
Leaving this out makes it harder for recruiters to contact you.
What is missing contact information?
Exaggerating experience can lead to this consequence.
What is failing a technical interview or background check?
This formatting choice makes a resume look unprofessional and difficult to scan.
What is excessive bolding, underlining, or ALL CAPS?
Listing skills without using them anywhere else in the resume suggests this.
What is inflated or unverified experience?
Failing to update expired certifications can lead employers to assume this.
What is outdated knowledge or poor attention to detail?