Resume Mistakes That Cost Interviews

Most rejected resumes are not “not talented enough.” They are hard to parse, hard to skim, or they claim work the candidate cannot explain. Fixing the document is cheaper than applying to fifty more roles with the same file.

Formatting mistakes

• Contact details only in a header or image so ATS and copy-paste fail.
• Columns that shuffle dates when the file is parsed.
• Inconsistent dates (05/24 vs May 2024 vs 2024–present).
• Tiny margins and 8pt font to fake a one-page resume.

Content mistakes

• Duties copied from a generic job description with no personal proof.
• Every job titled “Team lead” when you were an intern.
• Email addresses like coolboy99@gmail.com.
• Spelling the company name wrong.
• Objectives that do not mention a job family.

Honesty mistakes

Inflated titles and fake internships are the fastest way to lose an offer after a reference check. If you freelanced, say freelance. If a project was a group assignment, say your part. MineResume does not verify your history — employers will.

A 15-minute check

• Read the PDF out loud. Cut any sentence you stumble on.
• Search the job post for tools; confirm each one you listed appears in Skills or a bullet.
• Click every URL (LinkedIn, GitHub) from the exported PDF.
• Send the PDF to your phone and check it on a small screen.