Resume Mistakes That Hurt Interview Chances

I’ve reviewed 500+ applications as a recruiter at Amazon, Microsoft, and TikTok. This is the kind of resume that gets rejected in 3 seconds. I'll break down why such resumes fail to create an impact and how you can avoid such mistakes. Problem 1: Too much, too soon Two degrees, 15+ courses, and 30+ tools listed - all in the top half. Recruiters don’t need a tech stack dump upfront. Instead: ➡️ Start with a skills summary tied to impact-driven achievements. ➡️ Highlight tools you’ve mastered, not dabbled in. Problem 2: Responsibilities ≠ results Worked with IT to maintain PC and network health. Okay... but how did it matter? Reduced downtime? Saved costs? Improved performance by X%? Instead: ➡️ Write impact-focused bullets — e.g., “Reduced network downtime by 35% through system upgrades.” Problem 3: Irrelevant experience Amazon Prime Shopper role at Whole Foods is listed in detail. Unless applying for retail or logistics, this distracts. Instead: ➡️ Group unrelated roles under a single “Other Experience” section. ➡️ Focus on transferable skills like teamwork, deadlines, or inventory handling — but keep it brief. Problem 4: Projects without purpose Projects sound impressive but lack outcomes. E.g., “Built an AI model to detect human emotion.” Questions recruiters ask: What accuracy did it achieve? Was it deployed? How did it solve a problem? Instead: ➡️ Add metrics — e.g., “Improved emotion detection accuracy by 20% and reduced processing time by 15%.” Here’s the hard truth: Most resumes don’t fail because candidates lack skills. They fail because they fail to communicate impact. If you're not receiving calls from recruiters despite applying to 100s of jobs, it could be due to your resume. Repost this if you found value. P.S. Follow me if you are an Indian job seeker in the U.S. I share insights on job search, interview prep, and more.

I've reviewed 2,000+ resumes this year. Avoid these mistakes that 90% make. 1. Generic Summaries ❌ "Motivated professional seeking opportunities to leverage my skills..." ✅ "Marketing Director who increased e-commerce revenue 47% through data-driven campaigns and strategic partnerships." 2. Missing Numbers ❌ "Led large team and improved sales." ✅ "Led 15-person sales team to deliver $3.2M in new business, exceeding targets by 28%." 3. Cluttered Formatting ❌ Tiny margins, dense paragraphs, and multiple fonts. ✅ Clean headers, consistent bullet points, and enough white space for easy scanning. 4. Outdated Information ❌ Listing your high school achievements and every job since college. ✅ Your most relevant accomplishments from the past 10-15 years that showcase your career progression. 5. RESPONSIBILITY LISTS ❌ "Responsible for managing client relationships and handling complaints." ✅ "Retained 98% of key accounts and turned 3 dissatisfied clients into top referral sources." 6. ATS-UNFRIENDLY DESIGN ❌ Creative formats with graphics, text boxes, and unique fonts. ✅ Clean, standard formatting with relevant keywords that match the job description. Your resume has 7 seconds to make an impression.  Use these tips to make them count. Share this to help others level up their resume! 📈 And follow me for more advice like this.

 50+ hiring managers told me what instantly disqualifies candidates. You're probably doing 3 of these. After interviewing 50+ hiring managers across CROs, pharma, and biotech, I discovered something shocking: The best candidates often eliminate themselves before the interview even starts. Not because they lack skills. But because they make these avoidable mistakes. Here's what instantly gets your resume tossed: Red Flag #1: Generic Clinical Research Buzzwords Without Context "Experienced in GCP compliance and regulatory submissions." ↳ Every hiring manager told me the same thing: This tells them nothing. What they want to see: "Managed 15 Phase II oncology trials ensuring 100% GCP compliance across 47 sites, resulting in zero critical findings during FDA inspection." Numbers. Specifics. Impact. Red Flag #2: Listing Every Single Protocol You've Ever Touched I get it. You want to show experience. But when you list 30+ protocols like a grocery list? You look desperate, not experienced. What works better: ↳ Pick 3-5 most relevant protocols ↳ Show your actual role and contribution ↳ Align them to the job you're applying for One hiring manager told me: "I'd rather see depth on 3 protocols than a laundry list of 30." Red Flag #3: Copy-Pasting Job Descriptions as Experience This one hurt to hear. 75% of resumes just regurgitate the job posting. "Responsible for patient recruitment and retention." "Conducted monitoring visits per protocol." That's not experience. That's a job description. Instead, show HOW you did it differently: ↳ "Increased patient retention from 67% to 94% by implementing weekly check-in calls and creating a patient newsletter." See the difference? The Hidden Killer: Not Speaking Their Language Here's what most people miss: Each company has its own terminology. ↳Some say "CRA," others say "Monitor" ↳Some say "TMF," others say "Trial Master File" ↳Some say "EDC," others spell it out Mirror their language. It shows you pay attention. What Hiring Managers Actually Look For: ↳Problem-solving stories, not task lists ↳Quantified impact, not vague responsibilities ↳Industry awareness, not just technical skills ↳Cultural fit signals, not just competence One VP of Clinical Operations told me: "I can teach protocols. I can't teach critical thinking." Your Action Plan: ✅ Audit your resume for these red flags TODAY ✅ Add metrics to every bullet point possible ✅ Tell stories of problems you solved, not tasks you did ✅ Research the company's exact terminology and mirror it ✅ Show progression and growth, not just experience The truth is: You're not competing against 100 other candidates. You're competing against 10 who didn't make these mistakes. Don't be part of the 90 who never had a chance. Drop a 💡 if this opened your eyes. Share this with someone. They'll thank you later. Follow Rudy Malle for more insider insights to get you hired. #ClinicalResearch #JobSearch #CareerAdvice #CRA #HiringTips

Applying to 100s of jobs and not getting interviews? There's a good chance the problem is your résumé. After looking at 1000s of résumés, I've seen it all. Here are 7 common résumé mistakes and how to fix them: 1️⃣ Bullets focused on function instead of IMPACT ↳ Created content for various social media platforms. Better: "Created a social media campaign that led to a 4X increase in engagement, and over $200K in new business in 6 months." 🌟Why It Matters? Documenting impact shows not just what you’ve done, but how well you’ve done it. 2️⃣ Listing general duties instead of specific DETAILS. ↳ Analyzed and reported data on customers to senior leadership Better: 'Used R and Tableau to analyze customer fraud metrics, producing monthly reports on key indicators for senior leadership." 🌟Why It Matters? Details show the hiring manager that you have applied your skills in similar situations. 3️⃣ Summaries that try to fit in instead of STAND OUT. ↳ “Results-driven professional with strong communications skills...” Better: “Dedicated and collaborative project manager with experience navigating complex challenges under time and budget constraints.” 🌟Why It Matters? The candidates who land interviews don’t have “boiler plate” résumés that look like everyone else’s. 4️⃣ Using AI language instead of being AUTHENTIC. ↳ Utilized my competencies to effectuate revenue augmentation. Better: "Able to quickly build rapport and turn prospects into satisfied customers, consistently exceeding sales quotas." 🌟Why It Matters? Recruiters look at 1000s of résumés and know AI language (which can be flowery and awkward) when they see it. 5️⃣ Sloppiness instead of clean, clear and ERROR-FREE. ↳ Typos, awkward sentences and formats that are hard to read. Better: Correct grammar and punctuation throughout the document, in a consistent easy to read format. 🌟Why It Matters? “Detail-oreinted professional who takes great care with thier work,” shows neither detail-orientation nor care. 6️⃣ Going for flashy design instead of EASY TO READ. ↳ Including graphics, icons, multiple fonts and colors. Better: Sticking with a clean and simple format that is easy on the eye. 🌟Why It Matters? Graphics, multiple fonts and colors can be difficult for applicant tracking software to read. Details may be lost in the initial scan, leading to an automatic rejection. 7️⃣ Confusing work details instead of CONSISTENCY. ↳ Having different jobs and dates on your résumé vs. LinkedIn. Better: Alignment on jobs, titles, dates, and your skill set across all branded materials and platforms. Why It Matters? 🌟87% of recruiters look at your LinkedIn profile before deciding to interview you. Any inconsistency raises questions, and gives a hiring manager a reason to pass. Recruiters/Hiring Managers: What would you add to the list? ♻️ Share to help others create strong résumés! 🔔 Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more career strategies 📌Need support in your job search? DM me to chat!

I’ve hired 3 people in the last 2 months at Creator Match 🧩 but hundreds got rejected for the same 7 resume mistakes.. Here’s the truth: I’m rooting for every candidate. I want you to get the job. But you MUST fix these common resume mistakes (with #1 being the biggest): 𝟕. 𝐕𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 “Increased engagement by 200%” sounds great, until I ask, “200% of what?” 💡 Revised: “Boosted LinkedIn engagement from 500 to 1,500 monthly interactions across 12 brand accounts.” (Pro tip: Tools like Teal's AI Resume Builder flag missing baselines and prompt you for specifics.) 𝟔. “𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬-𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥” 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 Every resume says this. It means nothing. 💡 Instead: “Grew MRR from $12K to $47K in 8 months by launching creator partnerships program.” 𝟓. 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 “Managed social media accounts” tells me WHAT you did, not WHY it mattered. 💡 Revised: “Managed 8 LinkedIn accounts that generated 47 qualified leads and $230K in pipeline.” 𝟒. 𝐁𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐬 “Leveraged synergies to optimize ROI” → straight to the trash. 💡 Revised: “Reduced CAC from $180 to $67 by replacing paid ads with creator partnerships.” 𝟑. 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 “Part of a team that…” makes you sound like a passenger. 💡 Revised: “Led a 4-person team that launched an influencer platform, signing 200+ creators in Q1.” 𝟐. 𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 Your resume might be perfect, but if it doesn’t mirror the keywords in the posting, the ATS won’t find you. 💡 Revised: Rewrite bullets with the exact terms the role uses. (Teal even gives you a keyword match score.) 𝟏. 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 Resumes aren’t just for the ATS. They’re for recruiters & hiring managers scanning your resume for just a few seconds. 💡 Revised: Write like you’re explaining your wins to a friend over coffee. Our last hiring cycle had 1000+ applications. The ones that stand out are the ones that make my job easier. Your next role isn’t out of reach. It’s just one stronger resume away, and it starts with better tools especially ones that leverage AI. Life really does come full circle. I used Teal to land jobs as a candidate. Now Teal is a client of my B2B creator marketing agency. And today, I recommend that job seekers use tools like Teal to improve their chances of landing jobs. Wild! What’s the biggest resume mistake you see candidates make? 👇 Let’s help each other out. #resumetips #tealpartner *** 🔔 Follow me AJ Eckstein 🧩 for more content on entrepreneurship, LinkedIn Creator Marketing, and Brand strategies