Prior to landing your ideal job, it all begins with a job interview. However, to reach that stage, you must possess the perfect resume that aligns with what a company is seeking. Reddit user scottlottle inquired, “HR recruiters, what are some major red flags on a person’s resume?” Numerous individuals shared their thoughts on the optimal resume length and the key things to exclude. Here are some considerations to bear in mind before submitting your next job application:
1. “I once came across a CV that started with the line: ‘When I first emerged from my mother’s womb.’ This serves as a prime example of what not to include.” —u/Doodle_me_Noodle
2. “An individual listed ‘Netflix and chill’ under their interests.” —u/Healyhatman
3. “Persisting in misspelling ‘engineer’ even after earning the degree. Simply Google it or rely on autocorrect. I understand math might be your forte, but spelling matters too…” —u/EvenStephen85
4. “When someone’s job title is ‘entrepreneur’ but their description hints at a pyramid scheme.” —u/BoredSuki
5. “During a hiring process, my father-in-law swiftly dismissed a resume. Not only was it in chronological order instead of reverse-chronological (not a red flag per se, but not practical either), the applicant’s first achievement was a certificate for tying shoes, received in kindergarten. While the applicant saw it as a sign of determination, he viewed it as a lack of common sense.” —u/Lvcivs2311
6. “Avoid submitting a joint application with your spouse.” —u/orangeisthebestcolor
7. “A resume handwritten in pencil on notebook paper covered in plastic like a book report. While not a recruiter myself, I once encountered such a resume from a problematic colleague at work.” —u/klt2
8. “A resume exceeding two pages in length. Unless you possess over a decade of experience, one page suffices. Think of a resume as a door knock, not a door kick.” —u/251Cane
9. “In my experience checking resumes for an open position, the biggest issue is dishonesty. Candidates claim familiarity with certain technologies but fail to demonstrate knowledge when questioned. Discrepancies in employment or education dates are common. I even had an individual allege they held four concurrent jobs. Ensure your experience aligns with reality; don’t assert ten years of experience in a framework created merely five years ago.” —u/DrDonut21
10. “Depending on the role, listing all social media accounts and adding a headshot might not be necessary.” —u/ryanzbt
11. “Falsifying information is unacceptable. Avoid fabricating details on your resume. If falsehoods are easily detected, it reflects poorly on your integrity and intelligence. I’ve witnessed individuals claiming
Old emails. I knew someone with an email address that had ‘big daddy’ in it. If you need a professional email address, any combination of your first, middle, and last name, initials, or birthdate is acceptable. Any numbers but 420, 69, and 123 are fine.”
—u/[deleted]
17.”Obvious overselling. You were a barista at Starbucks. You took orders and made coffee. Don’t tell me you were ‘in charge of creating an uplifting ordering experience.’ If you oversell silly things, I’m going to assume you’re overselling the more significant things, too.”
—u/Starsy
18.”Not HR, but recruited many times. Poor grammar and spelling. No relevant experience. Inconsistent fonts and layout. Too long. A well-worded resume should convey enough in two pages to elicit an interview.”
—u/PM_THE_REAPER
19.And finally, “Quantify your accomplishments. Having vague things on your resume like, ‘Contributed to the team to accomplish a task on time’ means nothing to me. Something like, ‘Created process bringing close day from Day 15 to Day 7 and saved $10K in cost reductions.’ Now that speaks a LOT more.”
—u/devidual
What’s your biggest resume red flag? Share it in the comments!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
