The Top Twelve resume mistakes you may be center
- Dr. Sharon Rudy
- May 21
- 4 min read
Hi! I’m Sharon Rudy. I’ve reviewed countless resumes while directing USAID's global health fellowship programs. As a career coach, it’s my business to know the latest human resources research on hiring practices. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting your career, these are the top resume mistakes that can prevent your application from landing in the “YES” pile.
Poor Formatting
A cluttered, disorganized, or overly complex resume can turn off hiring managers. Using too many fonts, inconsistent margins, long narratives, and a lack of white space make it hard to read. Depending on the number of resumes recruiters and hiring managers must review, they are looking for ways to winnow the pile.
Recruiters spend an average of eight seconds scanning your resume – don’t give them a reason to discard it immediately before the event starts!
2. Focusing on duties Instead of Achievements
Simply listing job responsibilities doesn't convey your impact and won’t make you stand out. Instead, showcase your accomplishments and quantify them when possible. For example, write "Increased health provision access by 5.2%” rather than just stating your role.
Not using Action Verbs
Avoid passive language which weakens your resume. Action verbs like "led," "designed," or "implemented" make your resume more dynamic. You are aiming for a compelling narrative of your experience. Everyone knows nobody works alone, so don’t worry about bragging. (But, see #12).
Soft skills or adjectives that you can’t back up with metrics
I still see this content in the most important section – the top fold of page one–and it’s not a good idea. Claiming you are an “excellent leader” or a “strong communicator” without backing it up with metrics is becoming even more of a mistake. Nowadays, recruiters are reacting negatively to the resume that touts someone being an excellent or outstanding leader/manager, etc. Still, if your 360-degree performance evaluations document your performance as excellent, the information becomes more objective.
Too Long or Too Short
A resume that's either too long (e.g., 3+ pages for early-career professionals) or too short (e.g., a single paragraph) will be ineffective. Aim for a concise, focused presentation, typically two pages. Remember, a resume is not a curriculum vitae. I discuss the differences in The Global Health Career: “A Practical Guide to Finding and Sustaining your Place in a Changing Field”, coming from JHU Press in early 2025.
Including Irrelevant Information
Skip hobbies, outdated skills, or unrelated work experience that dilute the impact of your resume. Keep it mostly relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Failing to Tailor the Resume
Sending out the same generic resume for every job without customizing it to the specific role or industry reduces your chances of standing out and keeps you from strongly highlighting the skills and experiences that match the job description. The top fold of page one is the location to place keywords taken from a desired job description.
Including unnecessary details
Don’t include your street address, an objective statement, “references available upon request” or jobs older than 10-15 years. You can group older positions by title/org in a few lines if relevant to the desired positions and say more about them in the cover letter.
Overuse of jargon, acronyms, and initials
While industry-specific terms might seem impressive, but they can confuse recruiters unfamiliar with them. You know how it feels to hear a new acronym you don't know in a meeting - should you ask? stay quiet? Well, the reviewer is just as annoyed, increasing the likelihood that you go into the "No" pile. Make sure your resume is easy to understand.
Complicated job gap explanations
Don’t stress about employment gaps that are less than a year old or more than five years ago. There’s no need to apologize – just keep your focus on your qualifications.
Spelling or Grammatical Errors
One typo can seriously hurt your chances. It signals a lack of attention to detail and seems unprofessional. Always proofread your resume. Have a native speaker review it, if it is not written in your first language.
Lying or Exaggerating
Misrepresenting your skills, qualifications, or experiences can severely damage your credibility. Even small exaggerations can lead to trouble. Employers often verify information, and any falsehoods can lead to immediate disqualification or termination if discovered later. I put this last because it is rare, but I’ve seen it happen. A young woman said she had a degree when she had completed classes, but the degree had not yet been awarded. This cost her the job she had already started and was doing well in.
The purpose of a resume is to get you the interview. It’s the interview that gets you the job. Avoiding these pitfalls will make a big difference in your resume and increase the likelihood of your getting into the conversation with a potential employer! I love the part of my coaching practice that focuses on visioning, gap analysis, and big-picture planning. But once the vision is clear and a plan is in place, we dig deep into the details and best practices of the paperwork, social media, professional networking, and interacting with the proposed employer - interviewing, compensation package negotiations, etc. Visit my website to find out how to work with me. From early career to presidential appointees, we all need support to determine the next steps in our professional lives.
If you are ready to create and execute your career strategy,
go to "SERVICES" and....... Let's GOOOOOO!!!!!
What else do you want to hear about??? Let me know at sharon@drsharonrudy.com. Feedback is welcome – Email me your questions and concerns.
THE GLOBAL HEALTH CAREER
A Practical Guide to Finding and Sustaining Your Place in a Changing Field
An essential guide to navigating global health careers with strategies for planning, networking, skill mastery, and achieving personal and professional goals.
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