15 Common Resume Mistakes Students Make (and How to Avoid Them)
In today's competitive job market, having a strong student resume can make all the difference in your job search. In this article, we cover the biggest resume blunders college students and recent grads tend to make, plus tips how you can fix them in under ten minutes.
Why Avoiding Resume Mistakes Matters for Students
Avoiding common mistakes on rsumes is important for everyone, but for students, stakes are much higher. Your first job after graduation often determines your future career path and even income. So, you want to get employed with a reputable company that offers great career growth opportunities - and your path there starts with a well-written resume.
Here's why avoiding the most common resume mistakes is essential:
- Get noticed by recruiters. Employers usually review your resume for 7 seconds to decide whether to give you a closer consideration. If you fail to attract their attention within this time frame, you're out.
- Adapt it for the applicant tracking system. Resumes not optimized with keywords usually get tossed at the beginning of the hiring process. If your student resume doesn't have the essential keywords from the job description, it seems irrelevant to employers.
- Be confident in the quality of your resume. Oftentimes, students are not sure if their resume is good enough to land an employment. By checking all kinds of errors in your resume, you'll be confident that the resume represents your skills well and can confidently sell yourself during a job interview.
- Land a job faster. Error-free, professional-looking resumes make a stronger impression on hiring managers and eventually help you get hired faster!
Our resume writing services NYC have compiled a checklist of popular student resume mistakes, plus professional resume tips on how to fix them.
15 Resume Errors That Hold Students Back from Interviews
1. Making your resume longer than one page
One page is an ideal resume length for students and fresh grads. You don't have much experience yet, and employers are fine with it. No need to detail all your part-time summer jobs and freelance gigs. Keep the most essential jobs only, focusing on the achievements and skills you've gained. The competition for entry level jobs is fierce, so no hiring manager will read your 3-page resume. So, if you want your application to be efficient, try not to bother them with useless information.
How to fix it: For example, if you're writing a resume to land an entry-level position after completing a Marketing degree, focus on relevant skills and projects only, and ditch the rest. It will make your resume more focused.
2. Adding outdated or irrelevant information
In the attempt to impress potential employers, students often overload their resumes with unnecessary details. They include everything from high school information and awards to all babysitting and bartender jobs in summer. As a result, such a resume desperately lacks focus and the hiring manager doesn't have a clue about how all these activities are relevant to the Accountant Intern job you are applying for.
How to fix it: If you have at least an Associate's degree, ditch any high school information from your job application. The same goes for your high school accomplishments and activities â for a recent graduate, they're outdated. If you have one or two relevant jobs or internships, omit service jobs you had in summer to sustain your living.
3. Poor formatting and visual layout
Proper formatting and structure make your resume easier to read, creates a positive impression about you, and shows your attention to detail. No hiring manager wants to read into a poorly formatted document with bulky paragraphs, a too-small font, and no clear sections.
How to fix it: Make sure to use clear subheadings, idents, and formatting to make your resume more readable. Format your job duties and achievements in bullet points, not paragraphs. Don't use complex formatting such as tables, images, or graphs, as these elements might not open correctly in ATS software. For more recommendations about formatting, check out the rules of student resume formatting. A well-formatted resume not only makes a strong impression, but also shows your respect to the hiring managers time.
To get a professionally formatted resume for free, use our Google Docs resume templates! They are designed by experienced resume writers and approved by recruiters. Just copy the template you like to your Google Drive, add details about your skills, education, and experience, and get ready to impress the potential employers.
4. Spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes
59% of recruiters will reject a resume with spelling, grammatical or formatting errors. Even the tiny grammatical errors turn off recruiters and spoil the first impression about you. Mistakes communicate sloppiness, poor attention to detail, and lack of interest in the position - if you didn't bother to double-check your resume, how will you perform once hired?
How to fix it: To correct all kinds of resume mistakes, use advanced AI tools, such as Grammarly or QuillBot. They can spot most issues, such as missed commas, misspelled words, or grammar issues. Pay close attention to verb tenses â all your past experience and internships should go in past tense. Or, what is even better, hire a resume proofreader to make sure your document is flawless and ready for application.
5. Using one resume for all applications
Adapting your resume to each job posting out there sounds like an exhausting task. However, sending the same resume everywhere won't help you get hired. One-size-fits-all resumes get less consideration and feedback than tailored resumes do. They don't communicate your unique strengths and value to a potential employer and make you look just like the others.
How to fix it: To tailore your resume to the job description, use the keywords from the job posting in all resume sections. When describing your experience, focus on skills the job posting asks for. Say, if they look for experience managing social media accounts, you may include your experience running a Facebook and Instagram groups of a student community.
6. Weak or passive language
Phrases like "Responsible for" and "Managed" look wear for the hiring manager as they don't emphasize your contribution. The best way to start your bullet points is with strong action verbs. Such verbs highlight your direct impact, draw attention to your initiative and contribution, and show off your skills. Even if you lack in accomplishments, the action verbs picked right can make your resume sound a way more solid and evoking trust.
Don't know which verbs to use and how to put them into your resume effectively? Good examples are Initiated, Achieved, Introduced, Directed, and Developed. For more inspiration, check out our list of powerful resume verbs to use to strengthen your job application.
7. Incorrect or unprofessional contact info
Although your contact details might seem a no-brainer, listing them correctly is also important for a good first impression. If you misspel one digit in your phone number or one letter in an email address, a hiring manager might not be able to contact you. So, make sure to double-check everything for accuracy.
Another important point is using a professional email address. Many student resumes use less-than-professional email address that instantly spoils the impression about them. Your email address has to include your first and second name. Consider setting up a professional email for your job search precisely. Avoid using an unprofessional email address like "cherry-kiss99@mail.com".
8. Leaving out relevant unpaid experience
Not only paid relevant experience is important in student's resume. Any internship, part-time or volunteering experience is important if you've learned some skills from it. Many students make mistake of leaving the unpaid or irrelevant experience off and lose the chance to demonstrate, for example, customer service and leadership skills.
How to fix it: Think about your unpaid projects in college, for example, campus activities, volunteering, or group projects. You can list them as real jobs, including your role, responsibilities, and achievements, if any. Employers will appreciate it that you took the opportunity to build your skills, gain leadership experience, and work as a part of the team, so such experience can be a ticket for a job interview.
Not sure how to prioritize your unpaid experience or student projects? At ResumePerk, we have experienced resume writers who can assist with building a job-winning resume for you. Special discounts for students and graduates are available!
9. Ignoring your academic achievements
If your GPA is high enough (3.0 or above), don't hesitate to put it on your resume. Mention any other academic awards, such as the Dean's List, graduating Summa Cum Laude, or impressive athletic achievements. These achievements will show the potential employer that you are hard-working, ambitious, and willing to go the extra mile to achieve the goals set.
However, don't limit your education section to school's name, degree and GPA. If you've successfully completed some project or did the coursework that is particularly relevant to the job, list them as well. Keep in mind that if you've graduated no later than 2 years ago and don't have relevant experience, Education section of your resume should go above the Experience.
10. Using vague claims without evidence
Many students hear that they should sell themselves on a resume. As a result, they list such skills as excellent written communicaiton, problem-solving, teamwork, or leadership skills. Yet, if you don't specify where and how you demonstrated these skills at work or in college, these statements will look fluffy to recruiters.
How to fix it: Instead of claiming that you're a good leader, write that you led a student fundraising project for a local charity and organized the work of volunteers. To show your problem-solving skills, describe how you debugged code for the student website which improved its efficiency. Specific examples will say much more about your skills and potential! You may strengthen your project descriptions with the most powerful resume words and examples.
11. Putting references on a resume
Your references, as well as the widely-used phrase âReferences available upon request' do not belong to resume. Get your reference information prepared on a separate sheet to provide it for employer's perusal if requested.
12. Not taking the advantage of your hobbies
Including hobbies isn't a must for your resume. Yet, you can add them to highlight relevant qualifications or to show how your values align with the company's. For example, if the company is looking for an analytical person, you can include such hobbies as coding or solving puzzles. And if they are a environmentally-friendly business, include your athletic hobbies and healthy living.
13. Making a resume task-oriented, not accomplishment-oriented
Your resume needs to show you're a proactive, result-oriented personality. However, most resumes have to offer only a boring list of responsibilities held. If you have concrete accomplishments supported by figures, this is great. If you don't, you still can make your resume more result-oriented. For example, instead of saying âAnswered phone calls from clients' you can put âHandled 100+ calls per day and resolved customer complaints'. Employers care more about what you've accomplished in a particular role, so, give it to them!
14. Poor resume summary
Even though you don't have rich experience, you should use a resume objective or summary statement to clarify your value for the employer or your career goal. Most students, however, don't take full advantage of it and simply put something like âTo obtain a bank teller position with a reputable organization for career growthâ.
Needless to say those cookie-cutter objectives are a waste of resume space. You can choose to use either objective (if your career goals are unclear from your major and experience) or summary (if you want to impress them from the very first lines with your set of skills and knowledge). The #1 rule is that they should focus on the employer's value from hiring you. For more tips on how to write a resume summary.
15. Not cleaning up your social media profiles
It's no surprise that companies will check your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter before inviting you for an interview. Many candidates have lost their chance for a job because of the party pictures, inappropriate posts or comments or unprofessional online image. So, even before you start sending your resume everywhere, do clean up your social media profiles. Don't put your future career at stake. And if you want to share something which might be considered unprofessional, make sure it's only visible to your friends.
By following these tips, youâll avoid typical application errors and build a personalized, job-winning resume that helps you get noticed even with limited experience. If you're in a rush and need to make an online resume within 12 hours, it's better to pay for getting your resume done and ensure quality result.
How to Fix These Common Resume Mistakes
Correcting the above shortcomings will help your resume pass the applicant tracking system and move forward in the hiring process. Here's our ultimate student resume checklist to make sure your resume meets the requirements of today's companies and land more job interviews.
- Keep your resume to one page.
- Include your key skills, balancing between the hard and soft ones.
- Add a resume objective or professional summary focusing on what you can bring to the table.
- Put the Education section above experience if you graduated 2 years ago or less.
- Omit any high school details if you went to college.
- Add academic achievements, such as the Dean's List or high GPA.
- Include relevant experience, even if unpaid: volunteering, student projects, internships, and so on.
- If you lack relevant experience, include part-time jobs but focus on the skills you earned.
- Include your achievements with numbers and context.
- Tailor your resume for each specific job posting, including keywords from the job description.
- Use a professional resume format with clearly divided sections, readable font, and strong structure.
- Avoid complex formatting, such as tables, graphs, or images to keep your resume ATS-friendly.
- Exclude irrelevant information, such as references, your age or marital status, and picture (unless it is acceptable in your field to include a photo).
- Add your hobbies if they help you create a strong professional image.
- Use strong action verbs to make your bullet points sound more professional and persuasive.
- Read your resume multiple times to avoid any spelling and grammatical errors, or use a spell checker to speed up the process.
Need more professional guidance to fine-tune your student resume? Apply resume tips you can try now to refresh your formatting, vocabulary, and structure.
Need Help Updating Your Resume?
Writing an effective student resume might be puzzling even with resume advice and tips. It would be great to get professional resume suggestions specific to YOUR resume, wouldn't it?
At ResumePerk, we offer a free resume review for every student and graduate! Just submit us your resume and a job description, and one of our resume writers will review it and recommend what to improve to make your resume interview-worthy. It will help you avoid common grammatical errors, formatting, and ATS mistakes. Submit your resume for review in chat now!
Frequently Asked Questions About Student Resumes
What are some common mistakes to avoid in a resume summary?
When writing a student resume summary, avoid overusing words like "hardworking", "motivated" or "team player". Replace them with specific examples of what you did at work or in college. Another mistake is making your summary too long or too short. Aim for 2-3 sentences that capture what you can bring to the table and how the employer will benefit from hiring you.
Resume dos and don'ts for high school students?
As a high school student, do include relevant coursework, academic achievements, and leadership experience (such as athletics or student government). Do list volunteering activities, part-time jobs, and transferable skills you've gained. Don't exceed one page and don't use unprofessional language, "funny" fonts, or too-bright colors.
What are the most common grammar mistakes in resumes?
The most common grammar mistakes in resumes are using the wrong tense (for example, writing about your past positions using a present tense, and vice versa) and incorrect capitalization (such as not capitalizing the job title, or capitalizing every word, which is wrong). Another common mistake is using the wrong homophones, such as confusing between affect and effect, and so on.
What are common mistakes to avoid when writing resume bullet points?
Avoid weak language, such as Was assigned to manage or Responsible for. Replace such words with powerful action verbs. Another common mistake is using weak phrases like "Answered phone calls from clients". Try to make such statements more specific: "Handled 55+ calls from clients daily with a 95% resolution rate".
What are some common mistakes to avoid when updating a resume?
When updating your old resume, don't just add your most recent experience. Review all sections to ensure they are still relevant to your current career goals. Cut off any irrelevant skills and experience to keep your resume up-to-date. Double-check for incorrect contact information, such as old home address or phone number.
It's also important to tailor your one-page resume to each particular job role. It takes time, yet such an approach will distinguish you from others as you'll show how your skills can be beneficial for the company.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when listing skills on a resume?
The most common mistake is including generic skills only, such as Microsoft Word, time management, and teamwork, and not adding skills relevant to the job description. Make sure that your Skills section is tailored to the job posting. If asked to specify level of proficiency in a certain skill, do it.
What are the most common spelling mistakes in resumes?
Common spelling errors that recruiters often notice in resumes include misspelling words manager, experience, and effectively. Another popular issue are homophones - confusing between effect/affect, their/there, and so on. Also, you want to double-check company names and job titles, as they are often misspelled, too.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when creating an ATS-friendly resume?
To make sure your resume passes ATS filters, avoid complex formatting, such as tables, images, graphs, and creative elements. Stay away from unusual fonts and stick to popular options, such as Calibri, Arial, or Helvetica. Save your resume as a DOCX or PDF file to ensure it is correctly parsed by ATS.
Conclusion
If you want to make your job application process more effective, our resume writing services are at your disposal. At a very attractive student fee you'll get a brand new resume done in accordance with recruiters' requirements. Or, if you already have one, a skilled editor will polish it and eliminate all typos and mistakes to maintain your image of a promising young professional.
Did you write your first resume on your own or asked for someone's help?
FAQ
What are some common mistakes to avoid in a resume summary?
Avoid generic statements like 'motivated hard worker.' Tailor your summary to the job and highlight unique skills.
Resume dos and don'ts for high school students?
Do include GPA, volunteer work, and leadership. Don’t list irrelevant hobbies or unprofessional emails.