Resume Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected Immediately

Recruiters often spend well under a minute on a first resume scan. A handful of avoidable mistakes can end your chances before your experience even gets read.

Typos and inconsistent formatting

Read it out loud, then have someone else read it too — your own eyes skip your own mistakes.

An unprofessional email address

A simple firstname.lastname@ address is safest.

Outdated or missing contact information

• Current phone number
• Professional email
• City/region (full address isn't necessary)
• LinkedIn URL, if it's up to date

Listing duties instead of achievements

"Responsible for customer service" says less than "Resolved customer issues with a 95% satisfaction rating."

A resume that's too long or too sparse

One page for early career, up to two for extensive experience — not five, and not a single half-filled page.