In 2026, the hiring landscape is more competitive than ever. Recruiters spend an average of 6-8 seconds scanning a resume before deciding yes or no. Worse, automated Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) reject nearly 75% of applications before a human even sees them. The good news? Most rejections aren't due to a lack of talent, but simple, avoidable mistakes. Here are the top 10 errors candidates make and how to fix them. Treat this as a quick audit. If you fix even half of these issues, your resume will be easier to read, easier for ATS to parse, and more likely to reach a recruiter.
1. Using Creative or Multi-Column Layouts
While they look pretty, dual-column layouts confuse ATS parsers. The software reads left-to-right, often merging two columns into jumbled text.
Stick to a standard, single-column layout. Use bold headings and bullet points for readability.
2. Including a Photo (in US/UK/Canada)
Unless you are a model or actor, including a photo can lead to immediate rejection due to anti-discrimination laws. It also wastes valuable space.
Remove the photo. Focus on your skills and experience.
3. Generic, Fluffy Summaries
Objectives like 'Hard-working individual looking for a challenging role' tell the recruiter nothing. They want to know what you can do *for them*.
Write a 'Professional Summary' instead. Example: 'Marketing Manager with 7+ years experience scaling SaaS revenue by 200% via SEO.'
4. Listing Duties Instead of Achievements
Don't just list what you were responsible for (e.g., 'Responsible for sales'). Anyone can be responsible for something and still fail at it.
List what you achieved. Use the 'X-Y-Z' formula: 'Achieved X as measured by Y, by doing Z.' Example: 'Increased sales by 20% by implementing a new CRM.'
5. Keyword Stuffing or 'White Texting'
Hiding keywords in white text to trick the ATS is an old tactic that now gets you flagged as spam. Modern systems detect this immediately.
Weave keywords naturally into your bullet points. If you know Python, write about a project where you used Python.
6. Typos and Grammatical Errors
In a stack of 500 resumes, a typo is an easy reason to discard one. It suggests a lack of attention to detail.
Use AI tools like our builder to check your grammar, then have a friend read it backwards (sentence by sentence) to catch errors.
7. Including Personal Details (Age, Religion, Marital Status)
This information is irrelevant to your ability to do the job and can cause bias issues.
Include only Name, Phone, Email, LinkedIn, and Location (City, Country).
8. Unexplained Employment Gaps
Gaps happen, but leaving them unexplained makes recruiters nervous. They might assume you were fired or unreliable.
Be honest. If you took a sabbatical, traveled, or cared for family, list it as a timeline entry. Example: 'Career Break (Travel & Development) | 2023 - 2024'.
9. Sending an Editable File (DOCX)
Word documents can lose formatting when opened on different computers. Margins shift, and fonts disappear.
Always export and send as a PDF unless specifically asked for a Word doc. PDFs lock your formatting in place.
10. One Generic Resume for Every Job
Sending the exact same file to a Google Engineer role and a Startup PM role shows you haven't researched the position.
Tailor your 'Skills' section and 'Professional Summary' for each application. Use the keywords found in that specific job description.