When it comes to resume writing, there are tons of resources out there that jobseekers can utilize. Despite all the resources, there are still jobseekers making very careless mistakes in their application. Here are 5 common resume mistakes and what you should do to fix it.
#1 Blindly following any resume template
These days, you can easily find resume templates on the Internet and social media. From free templates to paid, customized designs, the options are limitless. You can use Canva or Adobe Premier to design a fancy template, or stay old-school and use Microsoft Word. Some may opt for a colorful resume, while others stick to a plain black-and-white design.
However, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ resume out there. No one resume template can guarantee you a successful application. Before you choose to purchase (or download) a resume template online, have a think about what you want to portray to potential employers. Certain templates may be designed for certain industries, and some layouts may work more for different companies and job markets. Be sure to cater and edit any templates as needed to fit the content and style that you want.

#2 Including everything you have ever done in your life
A resume should be a quick snapshot of your background, your experiences, and the skills that you have to offer. It should not be a long document that goes over 3+ pages. Potential employers do not need to know every single thing that you have done. They also do not need a list of your full job descriptions from all your previous roles.
Instead, you should focus on the experiences and skills that are relevant to the role(s) that you are applying for. Other unnecessary things (like that one time you participated in a Fun Run) may be omitted from the resume.
Remember, quality is better than quantity.
#3 Not highlighting achievements and outcomes
When writing about previous work experiences, a lot of people will make a copy of their job description and include it in their resume. This would result in a list that says things like…
- Responsible for creating monthly reports, etc…
- Responsible to do daily stock count, etc…
- In charge of group projects, etc…
Instead of writing a list of “What you do”, try to rephrase that in a way to highlight “What you’ve achieved” instead. This would put more emphasis on achievements and outcomes, rather than roles and responsibilities. For instance, the same bullet points can be rewritten as…
- Created monthly reports to highlight sales trends and identify areas of improvements.
- Conducted stock count on over 5,000 inventory and items in the shop.
- Led a group of 5 members to work on …
Sometimes, a slight change in phrasing can help you to highlight your skills and experiences in a better light.

#4 Having only one resume.
Let’s face it – most people will not have only one job for the rest of their life. Most people will be switching jobs at least 2-5 times in their careers, sometimes even more. Some may even switch industries or migrate to a different country. Because of this, you will need more than one version of your resume.
Even if you are thinking to think to only one industry, you will still need different versions of your resume. Why is this so? Most companies will have specific requirements that they are looking for in a future employee. So even if you are applying for the same position at two different companies, you may find out that they have slightly different requirements. Or perhaps they may focus on slightly different areas or skill sets.
Because of this, it is important for you to cater and personalize your resume for each job application that you send out. Take the time to really understand the role and its requirements and tweak your resume slightly to fit what they are looking for.
#5 Having too many unnecessary personal and contact information.
Anything you include in your resume should be directly relevant to the job application. Anything that is not necessary, such as marital information, identification card (IC) number, birth date, and religion/race, can be removed from your resume. Some of these details (such as marital status and race/religion) can be used against you or to discriminate you in the process, so it’s best to take them off.
Only focus on what is absolutely needed, such as your phone number, location/address, an email address and perhaps a link to your online portfolio or LinkedIn account. Do also make sure that you are using a professional email address, and that your contact details are correct and up-to-date!
Avoid these resume mistakes by having your resume reviewed.
With so many resources and career coaches out there, you can benefit a lot from having your resume reviewed. A resume review is not only to help you find typos or help to work on your grammar (you can use Grammarly for this!), but a resume review can help you highlight your skills and achievements properly. You can reach out to any career coaches on LinkedIn for a resume review, or check out our resume review packages for more information.